Picture by Ian Coyle

With the festive period behind us, attention turns back to the season as Scottish ice hockey returns for the first weekend of 2026. As temperatures drop, the action on the ice quickly heats up, with league and cup fixtures bringing the new year into focus.

Capitals return after Hogmanay high

Saturday sees Edinburgh Capitals back on the ice following their Hogmanay fixture, which drew a record-breaking crowd and ended in victory over North Ayrshire Wild. That result returned the Capitals to the top of the league table, level on points with Dundee Rockets, with the Capitals holding two games in hand.

Their first outing of the new year sees them face Solway Sharks for the third time this season. The Capitals have taken the win in both previous meetings, but the Sharks will be looking to test themselves against familiar opposition. With the sides well aware of each other’s strengths, a competitive and hard-fought contest is expected.

Scottish Cup focus in Dundee

Also on Saturday, attention turns to the Scottish Cup as Dundee Rockets host Kirkcaldy Kestrels at Dundee Ice Arena. The Rockets carry a 4–2 advantage from the first leg, with the outcome to be decided on aggregate.

Kirkcaldy will need a strong start as they look to overturn the deficit, while Dundee will aim to build on their first-leg advantage on home ice. Progression to the semi-finals is at stake, with a meeting against Edinburgh Capitals awaiting the aggregate winner.

Wild host Warriors

Saturday also sees North Ayrshire Wild welcome Whitley Warriors. The Warriors currently sit third in the league standings, just one point behind both Edinburgh Capitals and Dundee Rockets.

The sides have already met home and away this season, with Whitley coming out on top on both occasions. However, the Wild return to home ice on the back of a two-game winning streak and will be looking to carry that momentum into another challenging test.

Sunday rematch in Dumfries

The weekend concludes on Sunday as Solway Sharks and Kirkcaldy Kestrels meet again, this time in Dumfries, in the second game of a demanding weekend for both sides. The teams have already faced each other twice this season, most recently in Fife where the Kestrels edged a tight contest 2–1.

This meeting brings the added factor of home ice for Solway, but with both teams coming off tough games the night before, player availability and depth could prove decisive. It promises another closely contested encounter as the first weekend of 2026 draws to a close.