Tue 13 Jan 2026 - 10:00AM
CONTINENTAL CUP FINAL: MEET THE TEAMS
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By Jono Bullard
The 28th IIHF Continental Cup final takes place at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham this week as HK Mogo, Ducs D’Angers, GKS Katowice, Herning Blue Fox, HC Torpedo, and Nottingham Panthers compete for the crown. All six teams will have ambitions of lifting the trophy on Saturday night, so let’s have a look at each of them in a little more detail.
HK Mogo (Latvia)
The Latvian champions' route to the final was the most the toughest of the six teams participating. Having taken part in the competition in 2015/16, 2019/20 and 2024/25, Mogo commenced their fourth Continental Cup campaign in Group A in October 2025, travelling to Vilnius, Lithuania to take on Estonia’s Narva PSK, Iceland’s Skautafelag Akureyrar and hosts Hockey Punks. Mogo won all three games, scoring 34 goals and conceding just four which sent them through to the next stage.
Group C awaited them in November in Angers in France with two places in this Nottingham final up for grabs. After losing to the hosts Duc D’Angers in the first game, they went on to win their next two matches against Cortina of Italy and Gheorgheni of Romania. With Angers, Cortina and Mogo all tied on six points, the Latvians qualified for the final by having a better goal difference than Cortina and finishing second in the group.
Domestically, Mogo are in stunning form. They sit top of the Optibet Hokeja Liga having won their last 14 league games. They haven’t been beaten since 22nd October when they suffered a 4-2 defeat to Zemgale. They warmed up for this week by beating Energija Elektrenal 4-1 at home this past Sunday. Former Panther Deivids Sarkanis tops Mogo’s scoring with 36 points in 23 games, eight points clear of Kaspars Ziemens who has 28 in 23.
Ducs D’Angers (France)
The 2024/25 French Cup winners Angers are taking part in their fifth Continental Cup tournament and qualified for their third final after winning Group C in November. Victories over fellow finalists HK Mogo and Romanian side Gheorgheni put them in a three-way tie with Mogo and Cortina of Italy. They qualified for the final by virtue of having a superior goal difference.
Former Panthers Head Coach Jonathan Paredes will be hoping to take Angers to the top spot in the final after they finished second in the 2023/23 competition and third in 2014/15. They also took part in the Continental Cup in 1999/00 and 2016/17.
Angers are another side who come into the Continental Cup in great form domestically. They sit top of Ligue Magnus with 66 points from 30 games played. They secured an excellent 7-0 shut-out victory over Anglet on Sunday, meaning they have won their past five league games. Canadian forward Jonathan Charbonneau leads the team's point-scoring with 31 in 24 games while fellow countryman Orrin Centazzo leads goalscoring with 16 in 25 games.
GKS Katowice (Poland)
Katowice come to Nottingham to take part in their sixth Continental Cup and fourth final, having finished third in 2018/19, fourth in 2023/24 and third in 2024/25. In his fifth season as Head Coach, Jacek Plachta brings his team to their third straight Continental Cup Final with a point to prove after finishing bottom of the group in both Cardiff finals in 2024 and 2025.
The Polish team have several names on their roster that Nottingham fans will recognise. Defenceman Zack Hoffman was with Guildford Flames last season while forward Ian McNulty is another former Flame and spent a season in Coventry with the Blaze. The most recognisable name however is Stephen Anderson, who returns to the Motorpoint Arena after spending two seasons in Nottingham in 2022/23 and 2023/24.
Katowice enter the tournament in second place of the Polska Hokej Liga on 63 points, just a point behind leaders Zaglebie after 30 games, and skated to a 3-0 shutout victory over Krakow on Sunday. Stephen Anderson and Grzegorg Pasiut lead the team in points-scoring with 27 each in 30 games, with Anderson leading goalscoring with 14 goals.
Herning Blue Fox (Denmark)
Herning have the most Continental Cup experience of all six teams as they arrive in Nottingham for their 12th cup appearance. Despite their numerous appearances, the Danes have yet to come away with the title - their best performance being second place finishes in 2015/16 and 2023/24. Head Coach Garth Murray will be hoping Blue Fox become the second Danish side to lift the cup, emulating Sønderjyske who lifted the crown in 2019/20.
Herning already have their first piece of silverware for the 2025/26 season having won the Danish Cup in Aalborg this past weekend. In a format similar to the Elite League playoff finals weekend, Blue Fox beating Odense 5-2 in the semi-final and Herlev 6-2 in the final. They also lead the Metal Ligaen by 23 points from second-placed Herlev Eagles and have won their past five league games.
Herning’s veteran captain Morten Poulsen leads the team in scoring with 21 goals and 26 assists in 34 games. Third in scoring is Mathias Bau Hansen and both he and Poulsen will be part of the Danish squad for the Winter Olympics in Italy in February.
Torpedo Ust-Kamengorsk (Kazakhstan)
Torpedo enter their 11th Continental Cup campaign, their first since 2007/08 when they finished third in the tournament behind HK Riga 2000 and winners Ak Bars Kazan. Their last appearance was their best finish in the tournament in their previous 10 appearances.
The Kazakhs currently sit third in the Pro Hokey Ligasy behind Nomad Astana in second and Karaganda in first place. They have won seven of their past eight league games and beat Beibarys Atyrau 4-1 in their last game on 7th January.
Dmitri Grents leads scoring for Torpedo with 46 points in 38 games. Former Fife Flyers forward Maxim Musorov is in second place with 36 points from 34 games.
Nottingham Panthers (Great Britain)
Panthers host the final for the first time in their sixth appearance in the competition. It will be the third time in a row and fourth time overall that a team from Great Britain and Northern Ireland have hosted the final - and the first time it has been hosted in England.
Nottingham are the only team in the tournament to have won the Continental Cup previously, having been victorious in the 2016/17 tournament and becoming the first British side to win the Continental Cup.
Having qualified for the tournament by winning the Elite League Playoffs in 2024/25, Head Coach Danny Stewart’s side currently sit on top of the Elite League with 45 points from 29 games, three points ahead of Belfast Giants and Cardiff Devils. Panthers won their final game before the tournament - 7-3 against the Fife Flyers on Sunday.
Ross Armour and Tim Doherty lead the Panthers in scoring with both having 31 points in 29 EIHL regular-season games. Armour also leads the team in goals having found the net 15 times, seven on the powerplay.