Khabarovsk stun league leaders Lokomotiv 3-1
Khabarovsk took down Lokomotiv 3-1 on Thursday in a KHL fixture that upset expectations. The hosts dug in against the division top side and held on grimly when the visitors pressed back. It was a result that ended Lokomotiv's winning streak and gave the Amur region something to talk about.
Khabarovsk had been struggling, losing five of their seven games before this one. They'd lost 2-0 to ЦСКА Moscow and 4-1 to Череповец in their two previous outings. Lokomotiv meanwhile sat alone at the summit despite one defeat — the 5-0 hammering from Барыс on September 20th.
By then the visitors had won seven of eight matches and looked comfortable in their position. But Khabarovsk turned to the kids and found energy where none seemed to exist. The home side scored first and never looked back, keeping their heads when Lokomotiv pushed for an equaliser.
Three goals in one night is enough to shift momentum, and here's the thing — it doesn't matter if you're top of the table or bottom. Lokomotiv's record still reads seven wins from eight games, but the gap between them and the rest feels thinner after this result.
Khabarovsk remain in tenth place with two wins and zero points from seven matches. Lokomotiv hold first with seven victories and a single defeat. The standings mean nothing yet — the season has barely begun — but Thursday's result will be remembered longer than any table position.
