As the puck dropped on Oct. 4, the Portland Winterhawks 2024-2025 hockey season began. Nine minutes into the first period, the Winterhawks drew first blood against the Victoria Royals. The Royals quickly returned the heat, scoring three back-to-back goals, temporarily placing them above the Winterhawks. The arena was buzzing with excitement, stands filled with enthusiastically cheering fans. After the second and third periods, the Winterhawks boosted ahead, securing a 5-3 win.
The Portland Winterhawks were founded in 1950 as the Edmonton Oil Kings, and relocated to Portland from Canada in 1976. They play in the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the same venue where Lewis & Clark holds its graduation ceremony each spring. Following the team’s relocation in 1976, the Winterhawks accepted a donation of jerseys belonging to the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, quickly donning the same logo featuring an Indigenous man in a headdress. In 2021, the team made the decision to abandon the controversial image, instead opting for a new design that depicts a hawk rising from the outline of Mt. Hood.
The Winterhawks are a part of the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League, one of the three constituent leagues that comprise the Canadian Hockey League. Last season, the Winterhawks brought home the title of 2024 Western Conference Champions. Notable Winterhawks alumni include Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Cody Glass and Buffalo Sabres defenceman Henri Jokiharju.
But you do not need to go all the way to the Veterans Memorial Coliseum to find hockey fans! Piero Zanes ’27, co-president of LC’s newly-founded Hockey Club, weighs in.
“It was an interesting game.” Zanes said. “I noticed some nerves out there, but they still played hard. The end result was definitely a positive start to the season.”
Reflecting on the team’s potential, Zanes added, “I’m looking forward to seeing how the Winterhawks progress throughout this season. If you have time, I highly recommend going out to see the Winterhawks play. Depending on the game, the tickets are reasonably priced. They’re super exciting, and leave you wanting to become more invested in hockey and attend more games.”
For those looking to continue the excitement of hockey on-campus, Hockey Club offers a community between players, enthusiasts and newcomers alike. In line with the Office of Student Engagement’s goal of supporting students with a variety of interests, Hockey Club provides yet another avenue of involvement.
“This club is open to absolutely anyone and everyone, and our goal is to get students interested in the game!” Zanes said. “We’d like more people to get interested, whether it’s playing or even just watching. We teach people how to play and ice skate, and for the more experienced players, I’m hoping to start scrimmages.”
For those who are interested in the sport but not in playing, the Hockey Club streams NHL games almost every weekend and has movie nights featuring famous hockey movies, like “The Mighty Ducks,” “Slap Shot” and “Miracle on Ice.”
“Hockey is an exciting sport to both watch and play, and we want to give others the opportunity to be acquainted with the sport,” said Zanes.
For more information regarding club activities and events, follow @lc_hockeyclub on Instagram.
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