This weekend, Scottish ice hockey delivered high-stakes as teams fought fiercely in both Scottish Cup quarter-final clashes and SNL league games. With the Cup race intensifying, Kirkcaldy Kestrels and Edinburgh Capitals each secured important wins. In the league, Aberdeen Lynx solidified their position at the top, while Edinburgh Capitals held their ground in a hard-fought match against Dundee Rockets. Here’s a rundown of all the action as the season heats up across Scotland’s ice rinks.
Kirkcaldy Kestrels 6 – North Ayrshire Wild 2
Kirkcaldy Kestrels booked their place in the Scottish Cup semi-finals with a convincing 6-2 victory over North Ayrshire Wild at Fife Ice Arena. The first period saw Wild’s Matthew Evens break through and open the scoring, a hopeful start for the visitors as they fought to stay in the competition. But the Kestrels responded in force during the second period, with Joe Sommerville. netting early on, quickly followed by a goal from Finley King, and Scott Jamieson capitalising on a power play for a 3-1 lead.
In the final period, the Kestrels widened the gap: Conor Duncan scored to make it 4-1, then Scott Jamieson notched his second of the evening. Chris Wands sealed the deal with another goal, though Wild managed to add a last-minute goal, ending the game at 6-2. Kirkcaldy moves on to face the winner of the Capitals vs. Pirates matchup in the semi-finals.
Reflecting on the Kestrels’ strong quarter-final performance against North Ayrshire Wild, head coach Steven Wishart shared his thoughts:
“The quarterfinal win over the Wild was a really positive result for us. We stuck to our systems and stayed disciplined, which made all the difference. We experimented with different line combinations to find the right chemistry, and the team responded well to those adjustments and executed the game plan.”
Looking ahead to the next stage, he added, “We’re preparing for a tough test. The team is in a good place at the moment—it’s just a case of building on what worked, making a few minor tweaks, and building real momentum going into those games.”
Paisley Pirates 2 – Edinburgh Capitals 5
In the first leg of the quarter-finals at Braehead Arena, Edinburgh Capitals pulled ahead in the series with a 5-2 win over Paisley Pirates. The Capitals’ Assistant Captain Chad Smith opened the scoring, only for Pirates’ Alex Lane to strike back. The teams looked evenly matched, but Ross Borwick put Edinburgh ahead before the end of the first.
In the second period, Joe Lynch extended the lead, followed by another from Chad Smith. Early in the final period, Pirates’ Chris Wilson scored on the power play to cut the deficit, but Smith completed his hat trick, securing the Capitals’ three-goal advantage. The Pirates will need a comeback in the second leg on November 23 to stay in the Scottish Cup race.
Aberdeen Lynx 15 – Kilmarnock Thunder 3
Aberdeen Lynx dominated Kilmarnock Thunder on Saturday with an emphatic 15-3 win at the Linx Ice Arena. Lynx’s Jordan Leyden set the tone, scoring just three minutes into the game. Kilmarnock’s young lineup, featuring new additions stepping up to SNL, struggled to find openings against Lynx’s strong defense, with Harry Campbell standing tall in the net.
The second period saw Lynx pull further ahead, adding four more goals, though Kevin Ross, in his debut game for Thunder, managed to beat Lynx netminder Dominick Jaglar earning Thunder’s first goal. The final period saw netminder changes for both teams, but Lynx’s offense was relentless, adding eight more goals, including Leyden’s third and Brant Saretsky’s fourth of the night. Thunder’s Reece O’Brien managed a last-second goal, but Lynx walked away with two points, solidifying their lead at the top of the league standings.
Edinburgh Capitals 4 – Dundee Rockets 2
Edinburgh Capitals claimed a hard-fought victory over Dundee Rockets at home on Saturday, avenging a previous 6-4 loss. Capitals’ netminder Craig Chalmers faced heavy pressure in the first, as Rockets came out aggressive, yet Capitals managed to secure the period’s only goal courtesy of Ross Dalgleish.
The Capitals extended their lead in the second period with two more goals, but Rockets responded in the third, with Cameron McGiffin netting their first and Rio Page converting a power play for their second. Rockets pushed to equalise, but Capitals’ James Isaacs sealed the win just seconds before the buzzer. The Capitals now hold second place in the standings with 13 points, while Rockets follow closely behind on 11 with a game in hand.
This weekend’s action set the stage for thrilling cup semi-finals and left teams jostling for top spots in the league as the season heats up.
