The Scottish Ice Hockey Recreational Bowl returned to Dumfries Ice Bowl across the weekend of 2–3 May, bringing together 10 teams from across the country for a packed weekend of hockey and the chance to earn promotion to the Quaich level next season.
As the fourth tier of the Scottish Ice Hockey recreational tournament structure, the Bowl continues to grow year after year, with this season’s competition featuring a mix of experienced tournament teams and first-time entrants.
The Kraken, Ayrshire Vikings and Galloway Grizzlies all made their Bowl debuts, while Kilmarnock Piranhas and Lossiemouth Jets returned to the competition after previously competing at Quaich level.
Group Stage Battles
Teams were split into two round-robin pools, with every game carrying weight in the race for the semi-finals.
Lossiemouth Jets topped Pool A after an unbeaten group stage that included wins over Renfrew Ravens, The Kraken, Galloway Grizzlies and Coatbridge Redwings. The fight for second place went right to the wire, with The Kraken edging out Coatbridge Redwings on goal difference to secure a semi-final spot in their first Bowl appearance.
Pool B was led by a dominant Hamilton Hawks side, who swept through the group stage with victories over Inverness Hurricanes, Ayrshire Vikings, Belfast Foxes and Kilmarnock Piranhas. Ayrshire Vikings secured second place, with their only defeat coming against the Hawks.
Semi-Finals Set Up Championship Clash
The first semi-final saw Lossiemouth Jets continue their strong weekend with a 6–3 victory over Ayrshire Vikings to book their place in the final.
Hamilton Hawks joined them after defeating The Kraken 4–0 in the second semi-final, with the Hawks controlling the game despite a battling performance from the tournament newcomers.
That set up a final between two unbeaten sides, with Hamilton Hawks and Lossiemouth Jets facing off for the Bowl title and promotion to the Quaich.
Hawks Finish Strong in the Final
The final was closely contested early on before Hamilton Hawks pulled away to secure a 6–2 victory and lift the 2026 Recreational Bowl trophy.
Runners-Up: Lossiemouth Jets
Champions: Hamilton Hawks
Individual Awards
Tournament awards recognised performances across the weekend, with Morgan Wilson of Lossiemouth Jets taking Best Netminder honours after an impressive run between the pipes.
David Moore of The Kraken was named Best Defenceman, while Ayrshire Vikings forward Jamie Miller picked up both Player of the Tournament and Top Points after recording 15 points across the competition despite battling through injury.
Lossiemouth Jets also collected the Fair Play award as the only team to finish the weekend with single-figure penalty minutes.
Clare Howie Recognised
The weekend also marked the final games in Scotland for referee Clare Howie, with teams showing their appreciation ahead of the tournament presentations.
Clare has been a familiar face at recreational events across the country and Scottish Ice Hockey thanks her for her contribution to the game during her time in Glasgow.
Continued Growth Across the Recreational Game
Another positive across the weekend was the continued growth of the women’s game, with 17 female players taking part in the tournament.
The Bowl remains the entry point of the Scottish Ice Hockey recreational tournament structure, with the finalists earning promotion to next season’s Quaich competition as the Recreational section continues to expand across the country.
