Panx Vilnius lost 3:4 to HS Riga in the Optibet Hockey League on Friday. The result gives the Latvian side a win to start their campaign, while the Lithuanian home team begins without a point. The match took place at the Vilnius arena on 5 September 2026.
These two sides met earlier this year in March, and the pattern held. HS Riga won 4:2 when they visited Vilnius on 8 March, and now they have done it again, this time on the road. And here's the thing — the margin has narrowed. The earlier victory was comfortable; this one required more work.
Panx Vilnius arrived with mixed form. They had beaten Mogi 3:0 and Energia Elektrenai 3:1 in late February, but those wins were followed by heavy defeats against Zemgale Jelgava and HK Panthers Tallinn. To be fair, the results against Riga and the Estonian side showed they can compete at this level when they are sharp.
HS Riga carried more momentum into this fixture. They had won four of their last five games, including a 4:2 victory over Vilnius in March and a 4:3 win against Energia. They also pushed Zemgale Jelgava to a 3:4 scoreline before falling short. By then, the visitors looked like they had found their rhythm.
Both teams sit at the bottom of the table with zero games, zero wins, and zero points recorded. The standings say nothing yet — this was the first official match of the season for both sides. What matters now is that Riga has taken the early advantage, while Vilnius will need to find consistency if they want to climb.