Chelmet Chelyabinsk — Almetyevsk: 4:2, VHL

Chelmet Chelyabinsk defeated table-toppers Almetyevsk 4:2 in the Supreme Hockey League on Thursday evening. The victory came as a surprise given the gulf in form between the two sides heading into the fixture.

Almetyevsk arrived in Chelyabinsk riding a wave of confidence. They had won their previous outing 2:1 against Magnitka Magnitogorsk, and sat top of the standings with eight victories from ten games. Chelmet, meanwhile, had lost six of their last seven matches and were languishing in 29th place.

The hosts proved hard to break down. Almetyevsk worked the channels but struggled to find consistency in attack. Chelmet kept their side in it and eventually ended a barren spell with a convincing display. The visitors found a way back into it at times, but could not hold every card.

Recent results told the story going in. Almetyevsk had beaten Perm 2:1 and Magitka 2:1, while Chelmet's last win came against Zvezda Moscow 2:1 on September 22nd. Since then, losses to Himik 0:6 and TsKVVS 4:5 had done little to boost morale.

The result leaves both sides in familiar positions. Almetyevsk remain at the summit despite the setback, while Chelmet continue their struggle in the lower reaches. The scoreline does not lie — four goals to two in favour of the home side.