Ducks @ Oregon - University of Oregon

Let's Go Hawks!

Korrin B.

November 8, 2009 - 9:04 PM

We all know that the University of Oregon has some great attributes and that part of those is the fabulous community of Eugene that it resides in. However, there is another reason why the University of Oregon is such a great place to go to school. The University of Oregon is comfortably placed a mere two-hour drive from the lively city of Portland. Need a change of scenery for the weekend? You only need to make friends with someone from the area (so you have a place to crash) and then head north. There is so much to do once you there! Portland really is a fabulous city.

Yesterday, I did just this. After the Ducks game against Stanford was over (eh, let's not talk about that one...), I got in my car and hit I-5 North. My friend who I would be crashing with was already up there. She had gone to a journalism conference that had started on Friday. I was meeting her and her brother Saturday night for my first ever hockey game! I was pumped.

We headed through the cold to the Rose Bowl to watch the Portland Winterhawks play the Seattle Thunderbirds. By the time we found our seats, the game had already just started. I loved walking into the arena and seeing the large crowd and the bright action taking place on the ice below. My friend's brother goes to hockey games fairly often, as he lives in Portland still and attends Portland State University. He is the one who told me that I had to see a game sometime. I'm glad I did.

We could not have picked a better game to go see for my very first hockey game! This game had it all. In true hockey fashion, multiple fistfights broke out on the ice between players throughout the game. I joined the audience in a primal "Ooh and Ahh" of the action. The game also had excitement. With about 1.2 seconds left in the game, the clock was stopped and it looked as though Portland was going to lose. I made a remark to my friend that it was a rough day for Oregon sports teams. The Portland Winterhawks called a time out and I watched as some fans began to leave, assuming that with such little time left, little could happen. However, in an exhilarating turn of events, Portland scored, tying the game 3-3! The game then went into overtime for four minutes, during which neither team scored. What does this mean? Shoot off. Shoot off! Each team got three shots at the goal. Seattle got one in, Portland got - two! The crowd erupted into a fantastic frenzy. Hands down, could not have been a better game.

We celebrated by going to Portland's famous Voo Doo Donuts. I got the Heath Bar donut and my friend's brother dared to get the maple bar with bacon on top. I went home and slept like a rock. I love Portland adventures!