Latvia´s HK Mogo lived up to its pre-tournament billing by emphatically finishing top of its groups in the First Round of the IIHF 2026 Continental Cup.

In a winner-takes-all showdown on Sunday night, the Latvian champions from Riga showed little mercy as they dispatched host team Hockey Punks 12-1 in Group A, played in Vilnius, Lithuania. 

With perfect records in the opening round, Mogo and Gyergyo now propel to the penultimate stage of the IIHF Continental Cup. In Round 2, they will join France’s Angers Ducs and Italy’s SG Cortina in Group C, contested at Angers IceParc from 14-16 November 2025.

The top two teams from next month’s round-robin tournament in France will advance to the Final Round, scheduled to take place in Nottingham, Great Britain, from 14-17 January 2026. Awaiting them are the pre-qualified teams: Great Britain´s Nottingham Panthers, HC Torpedo from Kazakhstan, Poland’s GKS Katowice, and Herning Blue Fox from Denmark.

 

You will find more information about the 2026 IIHF Continental Cup here on IIHF.com.
 
Group A: Mogo dominant in neighbouring Lithuania

Scoring 32 goals and conceding just four across three games in Round 1, there was little doubt that the Latvian back-to-back champions Mogo, were in the class of their own in Group A.

“Last year, we came a little short and missed out on moving to the next stage of the Continental Cup after losing in overtime. This year we learned from our mistakes,” said Mogo´s Elviss Zelubovskis.

In the decider for top spot, a ruthlessly efficient first period, with six goals from just eleven shots, set Mogo on course for a dominant 12–1 victory over Hockey Punks from Vilnius.

Barely had the expectant home crowd at Pramogu Arena settled into their seats before Mogo ruthlessly extinguished any hopes for an upset. Two legendary figures in Latvian hockey led the way. Captain Kaspars Daugavins opened the scoring with a powerplay goal just 2:33 into the game. Kristaps Sotnieks then doubled the lead shortly after the five-minute mark.

 

Teenage blueliner Ingus Locmelis added a third unanswered goal, before Daugavins netted a fourth. With the hosts struggling, penalty trouble only made things worse. Maris Bicevskis extended the lead to five during a two-man advantage, followed by another powerplay goal from Janis Zemitis for 6-0.

Artur Pavliukov replaced Simas Baltrunas in the Hockey Punks’ net to start the second period. Dino Mukovoz got the visitors on the board with an early powerplay goal, making it 6-1, before Kristers Ansons restored the six-goal cushion with a man-advantage goal for the Latvians. Mogo then stepped up another notch in the final period. Ernests Krums scored twice, Locmelis netted his second of the evening, Daugavins completed his hat-trick and Zelubovskis also tallied.

En route to their unblemished record at the Pramogu Arena, Mogo got off to a comfortable start in Group A. Breezing past Narva PSK 13-1 , Zelubovskis enjoyed a six point (1+5) afternoon. He then scored the first two goals and later set up another in a 7-2 victory versus Iceland´s Skautafelag Akureyrar. In his fourth Continental Cup for Mogo, the evergreen Zelubovskis finished the tournament´s top scorer with 11 points.

Hockey Punks finished second after a 6–1 win over Akureyri and an 8–5 victory in a pulsating game against Narva. Ilja Zuckovs scored a hat-trick for the hosts in the game versus the Estonians and was named the team’s best player of the game.

Akureyri claimed their first victory in a free-flowing final day game against Narva. Max Valja scored for the Estonians for the third consecutive game, but it was the Icelandic record champions coming out on top with an overtime win. Johann Leifsson netted the game-winner and has now scored in four editions of the Continental Cup. Team captain Andri Mikaelsson also continued an impressive record, notching at least one point in each of the five Continental Cup tournaments he has played in. The team returns home to northern Iceland with their heads held high.

“Representing Skautafelag Akureyrar on the international stage is something special. Our goal was to give every team a good, competitive game,” said Mikaelsson. “At the same time, it’s a great opportunity to strengthen our team chemistry and prepare for the season back home.”