Picture by Richy Wiseman
The final weekend of the Scottish National League season brought the regular campaign to a close, with the standings confirmed and attention now turning firmly towards the playoffs.
Four games across Saturday and Sunday rounded off the schedule, offering a mix of results that underlined where teams stand heading into the quarter-finals.
Dundee Rockets were the standout side across the weekend, recording two wins to finish on 53 points — just two shy of league champions Edinburgh Capitals. It was a strong finish to the regular season and a clear statement ahead of the playoffs.
Their headline result came against the Capitals on Sunday. The sides were level at 2–2 after the first period, but Dundee began to pull clear in the second, scoring three to Edinburgh’s one. They carried that into the third period, where the Rockets extended their lead further with five goals to the Capitals’ one, sealing a 10–4 victory.
That followed a controlled 6–0 win over Solway Sharks SNL on Saturday. The Sharks travelled with 12 skaters and two netminders, and while they stayed in the game early on, Dundee limited their chances well. Netminder Harry Campbell turned aside what came his way, particularly as the game wore on and fatigue began to show across the Solway lines. Despite the result, the Sharks retain seventh place in their first season at this level — a solid return for a newly formed side finding its footing in the league.
Aberdeen Lynx closed out their season with a 5–1 win over North Ayrshire Wild. The two previous meetings away from home had been closely contested, and the early stages here followed a similar pattern, but the Lynx found another level in the second period to take control. It means they complete a clean sweep across the four meetings this season, with the first home fixture between the sides decided by a much wider margin.
For Aberdeen, the result comes at the end of a season shaped by ongoing availability challenges, which have seen them slip down the standings compared to recent years where they have consistently been among the teams winning silverware. They finish sixth, with the playoffs now their only remaining opportunity to lift a trophy this season.
North Ayrshire Wild end the regular campaign in eighth, but there is clear progress within the group. A young side, they have developed steadily over the past two seasons in both skill level and maturity, and have been far more competitive this year. While results have not always followed, performances have shown growth, and if they continue on that trajectory, they could start to cause a few upsets next season.
Kirkcaldy Kestrels rounded off the weekend with a 12–2 win over Kilmarnock Thunder. The Thunder, still in a rebuilding phase, faced a difficult test against a well-drilled Kestrels side. More broadly, the Kestrels have shown throughout the season that they can be unpredictable, but when they hit their level, they are one of the most difficult sides to play against in the league. They bring a real intensity and edge to their game, and that, combined with their ability on the night, makes them a genuine factor heading into the playoffs.
With the league standings now finalised, the top eight teams move into the playoff quarter-finals. These ties will be played over two legs — one home and one away — with aggregate scores deciding who progresses.
From there, attention turns to the Playoff Finals Weekend at Dundee Ice Arena on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th April, where the semi-finals and final will bring the season to its conclusion.
