'Something that connected us all': For 53 years, Sask. family celebrates holidays with street hockey game

The Hochelaga Cup has been an ongoing tradition for the last 53 years. (Photo courtesy: Pano Kourles)

For over 50 years, Stephen Lentzos and his family have celebrated Christmas Day with a street hockey game.

"Four or five of us were playing in Moose Jaw on Hochelaga Street and that expanded over the years as we got more cousins and more friends. And next thing you know, it became, something that became a family tradition for 53 years,” he explained.

Since the inception of the Hochelaga Cup, several generations have joined in on the tradition and learned just why it is so meaningful.

"I think sports are something that's kind of tied our family into Canadian culture. A lot of my grandparents and great aunts and uncles are immigrants from Greece. And so, sports are something that connected us all to Canada. And so it was a great combination. And everyone loves playing hockey," Pano Kourles said.

"When our folks came here, hockey was a big deal in Canada. It's the way we incorporated ourselves into the fibers of Canada," Peter Fourlas said.

The family, and some friends play every year no matter the temperature. The dedication has also resulted in a Boxing Day game being added in recent years.

The group spent over three hours removing enough snow to create a playing surface, something they all come prepared for every year.

“So, a couple snow blowers, a few ice chippers and then some shovels if we're lucky. So it was a three hour affair this year, and it kind of depends on how the weather is leading up to it … It was a lot of work, for sure,” Kourles said.

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The game has grown to include many family members and friends, who all patiently wait to grab their sticks on Christmas day and face off against one another. While there's lots of love between the players, their love for hockey also runs deep.

"As much as we do this for fun and just get some fresh air, and get some camaraderie going, there's also, you know, bragging rights. And that's really important to us too," Lentzos said.

The Hochelaga cup has extended to Boxing Day in recent years. (Hallee Mandryk / CTV News) "I was wondering where my brother and my dad went every year. And so I finally got in the game, and I realized right away this was a very real game. So, I took a puck off the shin and held back some tears, got rewarded with the penalty shot. And that was my, actually like first introduction to this game,” Kourles said.

"I talk a lot of smack throughout the year, so my nieces and nephews really enjoy being able to elbow me, at will, wherever, whenever." Fourlas said.

As the next generation of hockey players become more involved in the Hochelaga Cup, Lentzos expressed that the kids and grandkids are keeping the tradition alive.

"The thing that I love about it is the younger generation has caught on to it. I mean, it could have just fizzled, but I think the fact that it that they caught on to it made us inspired and kept us going, and now they're the ones that are driving the whole thing," Lentzos said.

"It's exciting. You know, after 53 years and I was just sitting there listening to you guys talk, thinking, if this is a 100-year tradition, that's pretty wild in the grand scheme of things,” Fourlas said.

That next generation certainly plans to keep the tradition alive. This year's game winning goal was scored by 14-year-old Dimitri Tsoulos, who shared that he had already told his friends of the big win and is looking forward to doing it again next year.

"It's something we can do, something that everybody enjoys. So it's really nice to put that work into something that's meaningful to people … I don't know if there's anything else that I'm a part of that's 53 years old. So it's something that I'm really proud of that I hope to carry on for as long as I possibly can,” Kourles said.