It’s not often you see ice in Portland - last year, a chilly storm caused more than 300 car accidents in one day - so it’s not surprising the city is without a professional hockey team (well, that and the fact Portlanders have little interest in professional sports whatsoever). However, fans looking for a little fighting on skates can duke it out at a Portland Winter Hawks game.
The Winter Hawks have been a PDX institution for 30 years this season.The team is part of the Western Hockey League, which makes up Major Junior Hockey, a highly respected amateur program. Top level players are eligible to play from the year of their 16th birthday until the year of their 20th birthday.
Once a player enters in a WHL (Western Hockey League) game, he is unable to earn a scholarship to play hockey at a college in the United States. However, Canada frequently offers players such scholarships.
This high-ranking level of amateur competition is a pleasure to watch, especially when the players take the ice at the Rose Garden (where the Blazers play) instead of the nearby Memorial Coliseum. Tickets go for as little as $10. Check out the Winter Hawks online at www.winterhawks.com.
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