Picture KMR Photography and video
The top tier of the Scottish Ice Hockey recreational tournament series delivered another memorable weekend as the 2026 SIH Recreational Scottish Cup brought together ten teams from across the country at Dundee Ice Arena.
Across two days of action, the tournament showcased the quality, competitiveness and depth within Scottish recreational hockey, with dramatic one-goal games, high-scoring performances and tightly contested knockout hockey all playing out in front of players, officials, volunteers and supporters enjoying the weekend in Dundee.
In the end, it was Paisley Blackhawks who emerged as champions, combining disciplined defensive hockey with timely scoring to claim the trophy for the eleventh time in club history.
Strong Start to the Weekend
Saturday’s opening fixtures immediately set the tone for the competition. Warriors opened their campaign with a 4–0 shutout victory over Highland Capitals, while Glasgow Mustangs edged Dumfries Demons 2–1 in a hard-fought Pool A contest.
Paisley Blackhawks also started strongly, recording a composed 3–0 win against Dundee Michelin.
One of the early stories of the tournament came from the Highlanders, who produced an entertaining 4–3 victory over Edinburgh Lions in a game packed with momentum swings and end-to-end action. Cam Herr and Bruce Tait both impressed throughout the opening day as the Highlanders quickly established themselves as genuine contenders.
Elsewhere, Edinburgh Knights defeated Dumfries Demons 3–1, while Glenrothes Cougars blanked Highland Capitals 4–0. Glasgow Mustangs then handed the Highlanders their first defeat of the weekend with a narrow 2–1 victory.
Pool B continued to tighten as Dundee Michelin edged Warriors 3–2 in one of the closest games of the day, before Paisley Blackhawks and Glenrothes Cougars battled to a hard-earned 2–2 draw.
Edinburgh Lions responded to their opening defeat with a 3–1 win over Edinburgh Knights, while Dundee Michelin produced one of Saturday’s standout performances with an emphatic 7–2 victory against Highland Capitals.
The Highlanders closed out the opening day in style, defeating Dumfries Demons 7–0 to strengthen their position heading into Sunday’s decisive fixtures.
Lions Find Their Form
Sunday morning belonged to Edinburgh Lions, who bounced back from their opening-day defeat in impressive fashion with a dominant 7–0 victory over Glasgow Mustangs.
Paisley Blackhawks continued building momentum with a 3–1 win over Warriors, while the Highlanders maintained their strong form through a 5–3 victory against Edinburgh Knights.
Glenrothes Cougars quietly developed into one of the tournament’s most consistent sides. A disciplined 2–1 victory over Dundee Michelin kept them firmly in the semi-final race before they followed it up with an impressive 5–2 win over Warriors later in the day.
Edinburgh Lions then produced one of the performances of the weekend, overwhelming a short-benched Dumfries Demons side 12–0 to carry major momentum into the knockout stages.
Paisley Blackhawks secured their semi-final place with a 4–0 victory against Highland Capitals, while Edinburgh Knights edged Glasgow Mustangs 2–1 in the final round-robin game to complete the playoff line-up.
Semi-Final Action
The knockout rounds delivered some of the strongest hockey of the tournament.
Edinburgh Lions continued their turnaround in Semi-Final 1, defeating Glenrothes Cougars 5–0 to secure their place in the championship game after recovering from a difficult start to the weekend.
Semi-Final 2 saw Paisley Blackhawks take on the Highlanders in a meeting between two sides who have built a strong rivalry across the recreational circuit over the years.
The Highlanders had been among the tournament’s most dangerous attacking teams, but the Blackhawks produced a clinical defensive display to shut them out 5–0 and book their own place in the final.
Blackhawks Claim the Title
The championship game brought together two teams arriving in outstanding form: Edinburgh Lions and Paisley Blackhawks.
Paisley struck early to take control of the contest and from that point produced one of the most disciplined defensive performances of the weekend. The Lions pushed hard for a route back into the game, but every attack was met by organised defending, blocked shots and a series of key saves from the Blackhawks netminder.
Edinburgh continued to press deep into the final stages and eventually pulled their goalie in search of an equaliser, but the Blackhawks sealed the result with an empty-net goal in the closing minute.
The 2–0 victory confirmed Paisley Blackhawks as 2026 SIH Recreational Scottish Cup champions and saw the club lift the top-tier recreational trophy once again in Dundee.
Tournament Award Winners
- Top Points – Bruce Tait (Highlanders)
- Top Goalie – Lewis Dolan (Glasgow Mustangs)
- Top Defenceman – Dylan Ogden (Warriors)
- Player of the Tournament – Cam Herr (Highlanders)
- Fair Play Award – Warriors
- Runners-Up – Edinburgh Lions
- Winners – Paisley Blackhawks
Recreational Hockey Continues to Grow
The 2026 SIH Recreational Scottish Cup once again highlighted the continued growth and strength of recreational hockey in Scotland.
From tightly contested group-stage matchups to high-intensity knockout hockey, the tournament delivered a weekend full of memorable moments and showcased the passion that continues to drive the recreational game forward across the country.
