Star Wars characters took over WinSport on Saturday to celebrate May 4th.
Although it wasn't the snowy planet of Hoth, the icy surface was filled with kids wearing Star Wars classic themed jerseys.
May 4th is a traditional day for Star Wars fans to celebrate a galaxy far, far away. The date is a play on words on the iconic tagline “May the Force be with you.”
The tournament, held annually by the AMP Youth Hockey Development Program, drew 140 kids for a game of 3-on-3.
“We have Chewbacca, Darth Vader and all the characters, and we bring the characters out on the ice to celebrate with the kids,” said Patrick Breaux, AMP's director of hockey operations.
“Three-on-three hockey, which we play all year round, is really fun. But May 4th is a special Star Wars weekend for the kids.”
The youth team had three divisions: U7, U9 and U11 years old. The division was divided into four teams named after Star Wars characters: Stormtroopers, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and Darth Vader.
Breaux said the event provides a bit of excitement for the kids outside of their regular drills and practices.
“They can still play hockey. And sometimes they even play a little more competitively,” he said.
The playoff round will take place on Sunday, with the winner hoisting a Star Wars-themed trophy.
Some parents even took to the ice to try their hand at sledge hockey with their children as part of the festivities.
“We have a good relationship with sledge hockey and strive to develop that program. So this is also a great tie between sledge hockey and Star Wars,” Brough said.
Files from CTV News Calgary's Tyler Barrow
