YELLOWKNIFE - It didn't take long for some good-natured ribbing to enter the mix as RCMP brass gathered for a photo-op at the Yellowknife Fire Department, Wednesday.

"Lasse? Is that the poodle you got?" a firefighter inquires, referring to the RCMP's police dog.

RCMP Insp. Roch Fortin and fire Chief Reid Douglas square off in preparation for this weekend's hockey challenge between the two departments. The event is a fundraiser for a cenotaph to commemorate fallen firefighters Lieut. Cyril Fyfe and Kevin Olson. The two were killed March 17, 2005 fighting a shed fire at Home Building Centre. - Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo

"He's our centreman," replies RCMP Insp. Roch Fortin.

The Fire Hall's lunchroom bursts with laughter.

This Saturday, the two departments will take their trash talk onto the ice for a worthy cause - the 2007 Memorial Hockey Challenge, which pits a team of police officers against the fire department team.

Saturday, March 17 represents more than just a chance to claim bragging rights. It marks the two-year anniversary of the deaths of Yellowknife firefighters Lieut. Cyril Fyfe and Kevin Olson, who lost their lives while fighting a fire.

Firefighter Ian Whitford, who is organizing the event, says when his fire hall comrades first began knocking around dates for a hockey challenge of some kind last fall and March 17 came up as a possibility, light bulbs began to go off.

"We picked the 17th almost forgetting what that day was at first," said Whitford.

"Then we realized that was our memorial date for us.

"It's St. Patty's day for the rest of the world, but for us it's a pretty challenging time."

An informal poll around the fire hall showed support for not just a hockey fundraiser but a commemorative event in honour of Fyfe and Olson.

It wasn't long before fire Chief Reid Douglas was firing off a letter to the RCMP offering a hockey challenge. It was to be both fun and introspective.

"It's remembering too (the murder of four RCMP officers) in Mayerthorpe (Alta.)," said Douglas.

"That really affected the RCMP and the country. It was only a couple weeks before our incident in Yellowknife so it's a very timely ceremony for all of us."

Last year's Fyfe and Olson memorial was a somber affair. Their deaths were still fresh on many people's minds and the mood at the fire hall was grim.

Whitford sees the hockey challenge as a way to help the fire department heal itself and move on.

"Some people truly believe the time for mourning, the time for crying, is over," said Whitford.

"And the time to celebrate their lives and commemorate, not just those two guys, but all the people who have died in emergency services."

Saturday's game at the Multiplex begins at 4 p.m. with a ceremony to raise hockey jerseys bearing Fyfe and Olson's names up into the arena's rafters. Olson's jersey is number 24 - his age when he died. Fyfe's jersey, likewise, bears the number 41.

Admission to the game is free, although firefighters and police urge attendees to enter a number of raffles and draws for prizes available while they are there.

There will also be a "donation boot" (i.e. a firefighter's boot) into which patrons can stuff donations.

The goal is to raise about $5,000, which will be used to build a cenotaph to commemorate Fyfe and Olson.

"We're hopeful we will raise enough money so we can get started on that this year," said Whitford.

If all goes well, Whitford said the RCMP/firefighter hockey challenge could become an annual event.

While the goal is to raise money, both teams promise a competitive game. Losing is not an option as far as either team is concerned.

If the fire department loses, they'll be saluting the RCMP flag while Douglas must spend a day wearing a RCMP shirt.

Should firefighters win, Douglas promises a "specially-designed" firefighter's hat and a shirt for either Fortin or the new NWT RCMP commander, Tom Middleton, to wear. The fire department flag will also spend a day at RCMP headquarters.

Fittingly, it wasn't long before all the talk about what the other team would do should they lose degenerated into a fresh round of trash talk.

"If they say stand on your head with pink bunny ears, that's fine," said Douglas.

"It's not like we're in danger of ever doing that."

This kind of thing has been going on forever, said Fortin.

"There's always been that challenge and friendly competition since policemen and firemen have co-existed," observed Fortin, who plays centre.

"We all have demanding jobs; we all face danger at times."