Portland Winterhawks vs. Edmonton Oil Kings

The Portland Winterhawks take on the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday, December 31, 2026. It's a WHL regular season game, so it's right in the middle of the league's schedule rather than a playoff matchup, and the puck drops at 5 PM PST. If you're looking for something to do on New Year's Eve before the late-night parties kick in, a hockey game is a pretty easy way to spend the early evening.

For those who aren't familiar, the Winterhawks are Portland's junior ice hockey team. They've won the Western Hockey League championship three times, and their games are billed as a great night out for fans of all ages, so it's as much a family thing as it is for the die-hards. The Oil Kings are coming in from Edmonton, Alberta, making this a cross-border matchup between two WHL clubs.

The game is at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, located at 1 Center Court, Portland, OR 97208. Since it starts at 5 PM, you'll be out of the arena and on your way to whatever New Year's Eve plans you've got lined up long before the clock strikes midnight. If you've never been to a Winterhawks game, this is a straightforward way to get into it—a regular season game on a Wednesday evening, with the home team playing in the heart of the city. Puck drops at 5 PM.