Teddies are set to be tossed and the battle of Highway 97 is set to re-ignite this weekend.

Kelowna Rockets

With just three games left before the Christmas break, the Kelowna Rockets are in action this weekend without a few of their best players.

On Friday night, the Rockets (13-11-2-1, eighth in the West) are down in Kennewick, Washington to take on the Tri-City Americans (18-6-2-1, fourth in the West).

Earlier this season, Kelowna beat Tri-City 2-1 on Oct. 5 and lost to them 6-5 on Oct. 19.

Friday night's puck drop at the Toyota Center is at 7:05 p.m.

The next day, the Rockets return home for one of the most fun games of the season. As Kelowna welcomes the Wenatchee Wild (9-16-3-1, 11th in the West) after an afternoon affair, it's the annual Teddy Bear Toss game. 

Fans are encouraged to bring their stuffed animals and throw them onto the ice for a good cause after the Rockets score their first goal of the game. 

Originally scheduled for 6:05 p.m., puck drop is at 3:05 p.m. so Kelowna residents can attend both the game and then the Parade with a Purpose Christmas event taking place downtown. 

香蕉视频直播淚 think that there香蕉视频直播檒l be a far greater opportunity for families to attend the game and then go on out on the street to watch the parade,香蕉视频直播� Rockets president and general manager Bruce. Hamilton said. 香蕉视频直播淲ith it being the Teddy Bear Toss, which is one of our biggest events all year, it gives people the opportunity to do both. It香蕉视频直播檚 a bit of a challenge moving the game time because of all the promotion that香蕉视频直播檚 gone into it, but we felt it was important to be a good partner (with the City of Kelowna) by helping out and making this adjustment.香蕉视频直播�

The Rockets will be without their top five scorers this weekend as Andrew Cristall and Caden Price are at Hockey Canada's World Junior camp, Jakub Stancl and Marek Rocak are with Czechia's World Junior team, and Tij Iginla is out for the season after successful hip surgery.

West Kelowna Warriors

A rivalry is also renewed this weekend as the West Kelowna Warriors and Penticton Vees are playing each other in a home-and-home series. 

The two teams will play at the South Okanagan Events Centre on Friday night and at Royal LePage Place on Saturday night. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. on both nights.

Going into the weekend, the Warriors sit eighth in the Interior Conference with a record of 9-11-5-2 while the Vees are second in the Interior at 20-6-0-0. 

In their only matchup of the season back on Nov. 5, the Warriors shutout the Vees 3-0.

On Thursday, Dec. 12, the Warriors announced they'll be without goaltender Dawson Labre for the rest of the season after he underwent successful surgery for a lower-body injury.

Kelowna Chiefs

The Chiefs are also in action this weekend, playing once on the road and once at home.

On Friday night, Kelowna (9-11-0-3) is in Merritt to take on the Centennials (13-8-3-1). Meanwhile, on Saturday night, the team is back in town to take on the Revelstoke Grizzlies at Rutland Arena.

Puck drop is at 7 p.m. on both nights.