Molot Perm took on Sniezhnye Barsy from Astana in the MHL on Wednesday evening. The hosts secured a 4:1 victory in what proved to be a straightforward affair.
Both sides sit at the bottom of the table with zero points after just four and five games respectively. The early season standings tell you little, but this result shifts the balance slightly.
Molot had mixed results recently, losing three of their last five before this win. Sniezhnye Barsy struggled more severely, managing just one victory across their five matches.
We had called this one beforehand. The confidence sat at 61 per cent for a home win, and by then the pattern was clear enough.
The scoreline settles the matter for tonight. Four goals to one leaves little room for argument about who dominated.
And here's the thing about these early fixtures. They set the tone more than anything else.