diff --git a/scripts/visual-snapshot.js b/scripts/visual-snapshot.js
index 6635dc7..d773274 100644
--- a/scripts/visual-snapshot.js
+++ b/scripts/visual-snapshot.js
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ const VIEWPORTS = [
 ];
 
 const DEFAULT_SCREENS = [
+    {
+        name: 'matches-hub-root',
+        path: '/?mock=sample',
+        waitForSelector: '#savedGamesList'
+    },
     {
         name: 'event-capture-idle',
         path: '/#event-capture',
diff --git a/src/components/router.js b/src/components/router.js
index d8a5531..8b940be 100644
--- a/src/components/router.js
+++ b/src/components/router.js
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ export class Router {
                     const hasActiveGame = stateService.getState('game.hasCurrentGame');
                     if (!hasActiveGame) {
                         this._updateHashSilently(hash);
-                        this.showView('event-capture');
+                        this.showView('saved-games');
                         return;
                     }
                 }
@@ -79,14 +79,26 @@ export class Router {
                 // Switch to the view without updating hash (to avoid loop)
                 this._showViewWithoutHashUpdate(viewName);
             } else {
-                // Invalid hash, default to EventCapture
-                this._updateHashSilently('event-capture');
-                this._showViewWithoutHashUpdate('EventCapture');
+                // Invalid hash, default to SavedGames (Matches Hub)
+                this._updateHashSilently('saved-games');
+                this._showViewWithoutHashUpdate('SavedGames');
             }
         } else {
-            // No hash, default to EventCapture
-            this._updateHashSilently('event-capture');
-            this._showViewWithoutHashUpdate('EventCapture');
+            // No hash: check query params and dev preview
+            const urlParams = typeof window !== 'undefined' && window.location ? new URLSearchParams(window.location.search) : null;
+            const viewParam = urlParams ? urlParams.get('view') : null;
+            const mockParam = urlParams ? urlParams.get('mock') : null;
+            const isDevPreview = typeof window !== 'undefined' && window.location ? (window.location.pathname || '').includes('/dev/preview') : false;
+
+            if (viewParam === 'config') {
+                this._showViewWithoutHashUpdate('Config');
+            } else if (isDevPreview || viewParam === 'event-capture' || mockParam === 'active' || mockParam === 'pc-counter') {
+                this._showViewWithoutHashUpdate('EventCapture');
+            } else {
+                // Default to SavedGames (Matches Hub)
+                this._updateHashSilently('saved-games');
+                this._showViewWithoutHashUpdate('SavedGames');
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -178,7 +190,7 @@ export class Router {
      */
     showView = (viewToShow, callback) => {
         // Update URL hash, which will trigger view change via hash handler
-        const hash = this.viewToHashMap[viewToShow] || 'event-capture';
+        const hash = this.viewToHashMap[viewToShow] || 'saved-games';
         window.location.hash = hash;
 
         if (typeof callback === 'function') {
diff --git a/src/index.html b/src/index.html
index 0467b56..46a01ae 100644
--- a/src/index.html
+++ b/src/index.html
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
             <div class="app-nav-inner">
                 <!-- Mobile bar -->
                 <div class="app-nav-bar md:hidden">
-                    <a href="#event-capture" id="navEventCaptureMobile" class="app-brand">
+                    <a href="#saved-games" id="navEventCaptureMobile" class="app-brand" title="Hockey Tracker Matches">
                         <span class="app-brand-mark"><i class="fas fa-hockey-puck" aria-hidden="true"></i></span>
                         <span>Hockey Tracker</span>
                     </a>
@@ -41,18 +41,14 @@
                 <!-- Desktop bar and mobile menu (hidden by default on mobile) -->
                 <div id="mainMenu" class="hidden md:flex md:h-14 md:items-center md:justify-between flex-col md:flex-row">
                     <div class="app-nav-links flex flex-col md:flex-row md:items-center gap-1">
-                        <span class="app-brand hidden md:inline-flex md:mr-4">
+                        <a href="#saved-games" class="app-brand hidden md:inline-flex md:mr-4" title="Hockey Tracker Matches">
                             <span class="app-brand-mark"><i class="fas fa-hockey-puck" aria-hidden="true"></i></span>
                             <span>Hockey Tracker</span>
-                        </span>
-                        <a href="#event-capture" id="navEventCapture" class="nav-link nav-link-active"
-                            aria-current="page">
-                            <i class="fas fa-stopwatch text-sm" aria-hidden="true"></i>
-                            <span>Event Capture</span>
                         </a>
-                        <a href="#saved-games" id="navSavedGames" class="nav-link">
+                        <a href="#saved-games" id="navSavedGames" class="nav-link nav-link-active"
+                            aria-current="page">
                             <i class="fas fa-folder-open text-sm" aria-hidden="true"></i>
-                            <span>Saved Games</span>
+                            <span>Matches</span>
                         </a>
                         <a href="#configure" id="navConfig" class="nav-link">
                             <i class="fas fa-sliders text-sm" aria-hidden="true"></i>
@@ -77,6 +73,9 @@
                     <section class="surface capture-toolbar" aria-label="Game clock">
                         <div id="timer" class="capture-timer" role="timer" aria-live="off">00:00</div>
                         <div id="captureContext" class="capture-context">
+                            <a id="backToMatchesLink" href="#saved-games" class="btn btn-secondary shrink-0" title="Return to Matches list">
+                                <i class="fas fa-arrow-left" aria-hidden="true"></i>Matches
+                            </a>
                             <div id="captureBoard" class="capture-meta">
                                 <label for="boardSelect" class="field-label mb-0">Board</label>
                                 <select id="boardSelect" class="field field-inline"></select>
@@ -320,18 +319,34 @@ <h1 class="page-title">Event Log</h1>
                     </div>
                 </div>
 
-                <!-- Saved Games View -->
+                <!-- Saved Games View (Matches Hub) -->
                 <div id="saved-games-view" class="hidden">
+                    <div id="activeMatchBanner" class="active-match-banner hidden" role="region" aria-label="Active match in progress">
+                        <div class="active-match-info">
+                            <span class="active-match-pulse" aria-hidden="true"></span>
+                            <div>
+                                <div class="active-match-title">Match in Progress: <span id="activeMatchTeams" class="font-bold">Fire vs Tigers</span></div>
+                                <div class="active-match-subtitle" id="activeMatchMeta">14:22 · 6 events logged</div>
+                            </div>
+                        </div>
+                        <a href="#event-capture" id="resumeActiveMatchButton" class="btn btn-primary active-match-resume-btn">
+                            Resume Match →
+                        </a>
+                    </div>
+
                     <header class="page-header">
                         <div>
-                            <h1 class="page-title">Saved Games</h1>
-                            <p class="page-subtitle">Choose a game to review its codes against video.</p>
+                            <h1 class="page-title">Matches</h1>
+                            <p class="page-subtitle">Record a live match, code from video, or import Sportscode XML.</p>
                         </div>
-                        <div class="flex gap-2">
+                        <div class="flex flex-wrap gap-2">
+                            <a href="#event-capture" id="startLiveMatchButton" class="btn btn-primary">
+                                <i class="fas fa-play" aria-hidden="true"></i>Live Match
+                            </a>
                             <a href="timeline-video.html?new=video" id="codeFromVideoButton" class="btn btn-secondary">
-                                <i class="fas fa-video" aria-hidden="true"></i>Code from Video
+                                <i class="fas fa-video" aria-hidden="true"></i>From Video
                             </a>
-                            <button id="importXmlButton" type="button" class="btn btn-primary">
+                            <button id="importXmlButton" type="button" class="btn btn-secondary">
                                 <i class="fas fa-file-import" aria-hidden="true"></i>Import XML
                             </button>
                         </div>
diff --git a/src/main.js b/src/main.js
index 526999f..6f79ec9 100644
--- a/src/main.js
+++ b/src/main.js
@@ -134,7 +134,37 @@ const logView = document.getElementById('log-view');
 const statsView = document.getElementById('stats-view');
 const savedGamesView = document.getElementById('saved-games-view');
 
+function renderActiveMatchBanner() {
+    const banner = document.getElementById('activeMatchBanner');
+    if (!banner) return;
+
+    const hasGame = Boolean(stateService.getState('game.hasCurrentGame'));
+    if (!hasGame) {
+        banner.classList.add('hidden');
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const teams = stateService.getState('game.teams');
+    const events = stateService.getState('game.loggedEvents') || [];
+    const count = events.length;
+    const elapsedTime = gameState ? gameState.getLiveElapsedTime() : 0;
+    const clock = formatTime(elapsedTime);
+
+    const teamsEl = document.getElementById('activeMatchTeams');
+    const metaEl = document.getElementById('activeMatchMeta');
+
+    if (teamsEl) {
+        teamsEl.textContent = teams ? `${teams[0].code} vs ${teams[1].code}` : 'Live Match';
+    }
+    if (metaEl) {
+        metaEl.textContent = `${clock} · ${count} event${count === 1 ? '' : 's'} logged`;
+    }
+
+    banner.classList.remove('hidden');
+}
+
 function renderSavedGames() {
+    renderActiveMatchBanner();
     const savedGamesList = document.getElementById('savedGamesList');
     savedGamesList.innerHTML = '';
 
@@ -659,19 +689,24 @@ function initializeApplication() {
         eventButtons.setConfig(currentConfig);
     }
 
-    // Check URL parameters for view navigation
+    // Check URL parameters and hash for view navigation
     const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
     const viewParam = urlParams.get('view');
+    const mockParam = urlParams.get('mock');
+    const isDevPreview = window.location.pathname.includes('/dev/preview');
+    const hash = window.location.hash.substring(1).split('?')[0].split('/')[0];
 
-    // Handle navigation based on URL parameters
-    if (viewParam === 'config') {
+    // Handle navigation based on URL parameters or hash
+    if (viewParam === 'config' || hash === 'configure') {
         stateService.setState('ui.currentView', 'Config');
-    } else if (viewParam === 'saved-games') {
+    } else if (isDevPreview || viewParam === 'event-capture' || hash === 'event-capture' || mockParam === 'active' || mockParam === 'pc-counter') {
+        stateService.setState('ui.currentView', 'EventCapture');
+    } else if (viewParam === 'log' || hash === 'log') {
+        stateService.setState('ui.currentView', 'Log');
+    } else {
+        // Default to saved-games (Matches Hub) view
         stateService.setState('ui.currentView', 'SavedGames');
         renderSavedGames();
-    } else {
-        // Default to event capture view if no parameter or invalid parameter
-        stateService.setState('ui.currentView', 'EventCapture');
     }
 
     registerEventListeners();
@@ -706,6 +741,7 @@ function syncChrome() {
         lastEventText: lastEvent ? `${lastEvent.event} · ${formatTime(lastEvent.timeMs)}` : ''
     });
     eventButtons.updateBadgeCounts(events);
+    renderActiveMatchBanner();
     return hasGame;
 }
 
@@ -1295,7 +1331,7 @@ function registerEventListeners() {
 
 const router = new Router(
     {
-        EventCapture: { view: trackerView, button: navEventCapture },
+        EventCapture: { view: trackerView, button: null },
         Config: { view: configView, button: navConfig },
         Log: { view: logView, button: null },
         SavedGames: { view: savedGamesView, button: navSavedGames }
@@ -1320,9 +1356,10 @@ stateService.subscribe('ui.currentView', (viewName) => {
     if (viewName === 'Log') {
         renderLogView();
         if (stateService.getState('ui.currentView') !== 'Log') return;
-        const button = stateService.getState('ui.logGameId') ? navSavedGames : navEventCapture;
-        button.classList.add('nav-link-active');
-        button.setAttribute('aria-current', 'page');
+        if (navSavedGames) {
+            navSavedGames.classList.add('nav-link-active');
+            navSavedGames.setAttribute('aria-current', 'page');
+        }
     } else if (viewName === 'SavedGames') {
         renderSavedGames();
     } else if (viewName === 'Config') {
@@ -1333,15 +1370,17 @@ stateService.subscribe('ui.currentView', (viewName) => {
 // Child-path changes (game.loggedEvents) and whole-game replacements (newGame, restore, complete) both notify 'game'
 stateService.subscribe('game', syncChrome);
 
-// Initial navigation based on URL hash or defaults to EventCapture
+// Initial navigation based on URL hash or defaults to SavedGames (Matches Hub)
 function handleInitialNavigation() {
     const fullHash = window.location.hash.substring(1);
     const routeOnly = fullHash.split('?')[0];
     const [hash] = routeOnly.split('/');
-    if (hash === 'saved-games') {
-        renderSavedGames();
-    } else if (hash === 'configure') {
+    if (hash === 'configure') {
         showConfigView();
+    } else if (hash === 'event-capture') {
+        // Event capture view
+    } else {
+        renderSavedGames();
     }
 
     // Initialize mobile menu functionality
@@ -1399,11 +1438,13 @@ function initMobileMenu() {
         });
     });
 
-    // Handle mobile event capture link
-    navEventCaptureMobile.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
-        e.preventDefault();
-        window.router.showView('EventCapture');
-    });
+    // Handle mobile brand link
+    if (navEventCaptureMobile) {
+        navEventCaptureMobile.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
+            e.preventDefault();
+            window.router.showView('SavedGames');
+        });
+    }
 
     // Handle window resize to show/hide menu appropriately
     window.addEventListener('resize', () => {
diff --git a/src/services/stateService.js b/src/services/stateService.js
index 2b2dd94..0ec3ab6 100644
--- a/src/services/stateService.js
+++ b/src/services/stateService.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export const stateService = {
             selectedTeam: null
         },
         ui: {
-            currentView: 'EventCapture',
+            currentView: 'SavedGames',
             currentTab: 'timelineView',
             logGameId: null
         }
diff --git a/src/styles.css b/src/styles.css
index 117f360..1e0d051 100644
--- a/src/styles.css
+++ b/src/styles.css
@@ -1239,6 +1239,74 @@ code {
     outline: none;
 }
 
+/* ===== Active Match in Progress Banner ===== */
+.active-match-banner {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: space-between;
+    flex-wrap: wrap;
+    gap: var(--space-3);
+    padding: var(--space-4);
+    margin-bottom: var(--space-4);
+    background-color: var(--color-surface);
+    border: 2px solid var(--color-brand);
+    border-radius: var(--radius-lg);
+    box-shadow: var(--shadow-sm);
+}
+
+.active-match-banner.hidden {
+    display: none;
+}
+
+.active-match-info {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: var(--space-3);
+    min-width: 0;
+}
+
+.active-match-pulse {
+    display: inline-block;
+    width: 0.75rem;
+    height: 0.75rem;
+    border-radius: 9999px;
+    background-color: var(--color-brand);
+    animation: active-pulse 2s infinite;
+    flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+
+@keyframes active-pulse {
+    0% {
+        transform: scale(0.95);
+        box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 rgba(34, 197, 94, 0.7);
+    }
+    70% {
+        transform: scale(1);
+        box-shadow: 0 0 0 8px rgba(34, 197, 94, 0);
+    }
+    100% {
+        transform: scale(0.95);
+        box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 rgba(34, 197, 94, 0);
+    }
+}
+
+.active-match-title {
+    font-size: 1rem;
+    font-weight: 600;
+    color: var(--color-ink);
+}
+
+.active-match-subtitle {
+    font-size: 0.8125rem;
+    color: var(--color-muted);
+}
+
+.active-match-resume-btn {
+    min-height: var(--touch-min);
+    padding: 0 var(--space-4);
+    font-weight: 600;
+}
+
 /* ===== Saved games ===== */
 .saved-games-list {
     display: flex;
diff --git a/tests/components/router.test.js b/tests/components/router.test.js
index 811ef0c..25f9d46 100644
--- a/tests/components/router.test.js
+++ b/tests/components/router.test.js
@@ -179,8 +179,20 @@ describe('Router', () => {
         });
     });
 
+    test('empty hash defaults to SavedGames (Matches Hub)', () => {
+        window.location.hash = '';
+        router._handleHashChange();
+        expect(stateService.setState).toHaveBeenCalledWith('ui.currentView', 'SavedGames');
+    });
+
+    test('invalid hash defaults to SavedGames (Matches Hub)', () => {
+        window.location.hash = 'unknown-route';
+        router._handleHashChange();
+        expect(stateService.setState).toHaveBeenCalledWith('ui.currentView', 'SavedGames');
+    });
+
     describe('Log route guard', () => {
-        test('#log without an active game redirects to Event Capture', () => {
+        test('#log without an active game redirects to SavedGames', () => {
             stateService.getState.mockReturnValue(false);
             window.location.hash = 'log';
 
@@ -188,7 +200,7 @@ describe('Router', () => {
 
             expect(stateService.setState).toHaveBeenCalledWith('ui.logGameId', null);
             expect(stateService.setState).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('ui.currentView', 'Log');
-            expect(window.location.hash).toBe('#event-capture');
+            expect(window.location.hash).toBe('#saved-games');
         });
 
         test('#log with an active game shows the live Log view', () => {