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WHL Portland Winterhawks

Game Day Hub: December 31 vs Seattle

December 31, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Portland Winterhawks vs Seattle Thunderbirds

Winners of five straight at home, the Winterhawks host the Thunderbirds for a New Year's Eve clash at the VMC.

Puck Drop: 5:00 p.m. PT

Venue: Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Portland, OR

Uniforms: Red

Previous Meetings This Season: Portland is 1-3-0-0 Against Seattle

Portland 2 @ Seattle 4 (Nov 12 2021)

Seattle 6 @ Portland 4 (Oct 27 2021)

Portland 4 @ Seattle 2 (Oct 9 2021)

Seattle 3 @ Portland 1 (Oct 2 2021)

Listen Live: Winterhawks Radio Network and on the Winterhawks App. Fans can listen live in the arena on 87.9 FM.

Watch Live: Portland's CW (ch. 703 & 3) , WHL Live on CHL TV

Game Notes: Winterhawks Game Notes

Upcoming Promotional Games:

Friday, Jan. 28 - Pride Night

Get to the Game with Tri-Met!

The Winterhawks are proud to partner with TriMet, which helps connect people with their communities while reducing traffic congestion and air pollution in the Portland area. To help celebrate New Year's Eve safely, all rides on buses, MAX and Portland Streetcar are free tonight starting at 8 p.m. Plan your trip now at trimet.org.

FOLLOW ALONG: Box Score

Winterhawks vs. Thunderbirds - A New Year's Eve Tradition!

Portland will look to end 2021 with a bang as they take on their bitter rivals from just up I-5. The traditional New Year's Eve battle between these two clubs has become a staple of each team's regular-season slate. Tonight's meeting will mark the seventh consecutive NYE matchup between Portland and Seattle (excluding 2020 when the season had not yet begun) with the Hawks holding an edge with wins in 16 of 28 total New Year's matchups against the Thunderbirds. Most recently, Portland has won two NYE battles in a row, knocking off Seattle 6-3 in 2018 and 3-2 in 2019.

Lots on the Line

Thanks to some scorching play over the last month, the Winterhawks have narrowed the gap to second-place Seattle to just nine points with one game in hand. A 7-2-1-0 mark in their last 10 outings and a 9-2-3 record since beginning an 11-game homestand on Nov. 16 has helped the Hawks separate from Tri-City and Spokane as they look to overtake Seattle and Everett for the U.S. Division regular-season crown.

The Thunderbirds have been hot in their own right, though, with wins in six of their last eight outings and points in 10 of their last 12 (8-2-2-0 in that span). For Portland, a win over Seattle brings them to within three wins and an overtime loss of the Thunderbirds, while Seattle wants to push the Hawks back to more than five games behind.

With the stakes so high on a night known for plenty of fireworks, the teams are poised to put on quite the show.

The Best Party in Portland

It wouldn't be a New Year's Eve game without a party, and we can't wait to see Winterhawks fans take to the ice in the VMC after the game to make some memories with family and friends. In accordance with the WHL's updated COVID-19 guidelines, players will not be participating in the postgame skate, however, the skate WILL go on as planned for fans only.

Once the clock strikes 12 on the east coast (9 p.m. PT), balloons will drop from the rafters of the VMC to celebrate the arrival of 2022! Some balloons will also have cash prizes inside. Celebrate the turn of the calendar with us, then head home to continue the party with your loved ones as midnight hits Portland!

Toyota Hockey Family of the Year

We've been searching for the 2021 Toyota Hockey Family of the Year since the fall, and are down to our ten finalist families. The votes have been counted and a winning family has been determined! Find out during the second intermission which family will drive off in a brand new Rav4!

WIN A TOYOTA:

Back for another season, fans 18+ who reside in Oregon or Southwest Washington can ENTER TO WIN a brand new Toyota car, truck, or SUV.

Each game this season, one lucky fan will have their entry drawn and they will have a chance to win our grand prize if they get all five game predictions correct.

Tonight, we are cheering on: Brad F. from Eugene, OR

What our Hawks fan could win: A brand new 2021 Tundra

What needs to happen?

Portland Winterhawks (4) beat the Seattle Thunderbirds (2)

Dawson Pasternak scores the first Winterhawks goal.

Portland goaltenders make 31 total saves.

Seattle goaltenders make 26 total saves.

Good luck tonight, Brad! Let's finish 2021 on a winning note.

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2021


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