With the West Kelowna Warriors sitting in 2nd place in the BC Hockey League's Interior Division, it's apparent that they know a thing or two about playing hockey.

Photo: Contributed

What they're playing for

The bigger question this weekend though is this: Can they play without a blade on their stick and with a blue rubber ring?

The Warriors will be in Rutland on Sunday November 23rd for a 12:30 game against the Kelowna 18+ Open Ringette team, dubbed the Shutout Sports Challenge Cup, as part of RBC Sports Day.

Building on last years experience, where Warriors players played in a fun game, this one has an added sense of bragging rights, and a pretty big trophy as well that was provided by Shutout Sports.

"The boys that played last year had a lot of fun," says Warriors Statistician Sheldon Bank, who has helped bring it all together, "they have a ton of respect for the girls and a lot of ooh's and ahh's wondering how they could do what they did on the ice."

Kelowna Ringette is hoping for a big crowd out on Sunday, while the Warriors are hoping that their fans will make the trek across the bridge and into Rutland.

"We're asking for a non-perishable food donation as admission," says Warriors Director of Sales and Marketing Alex Draper, "and we're hoping to pack Rutland Arena and have a lot of fun there on Sunday."

As far as what it means to the ladies? Kelowna Open player Holly Langois says "there's a big rivalry between ringette and hockey. The girls hear it at school that hockey's better than ringette. I think it will be a good way to get the community involved, and just get the rivalry going and hopefully we'll kick some butt and put an end to the hockey is better than ringette idea."

Fans that cannot attend on Sunday will have the opportunity to watch the game on www.ryanwatters.ca as Ryan Watters has all the play-by-play for the November Game of the Month.