Chayka and Irbis met in the MHL on 7 September, with the visitors taking a 5:3 win to open their campaign. By then both sides sat on zero points in the table, the season having only just begun. The result shifts nothing in the standings but settles one question about form going forward.
Irbis came from behind to take control after Chayka had found a way back into it. The visitors ran riot in the second period, while the hosts could not afford another slip at the back. And here's the thing — Chayka had shown this resilience in their last outing against the same side, losing 2:3, yet today they could not hold their shape.
We had called for the away side at 45 per cent confidence, and it paid off. Irbis had won their previous meeting 3:2 in August and carried that momentum into this one. To be fair, Chayka had been winning games before that, but pressure changes when you face the side that beat you twice.
Recent results tell a story of two teams finding their feet. Chayka had victories over Ska-1946 and Avto before the setback, while Irbis posted a 7:1 win over Reaktor and a 5:1 result against Ska-1946. Both sides are building, but the gap between them showed up in this one.
With both teams still at zero games and zero points, the table says nothing yet. What matters is the run each side is building. Irbis now lead the head-to-head in the early stages, and Chayka cannot afford another slip against the same opposition.