Kristall Saratov claimed a 3:2 victory over CSK VVS in their VHL meeting on Tuesday. The home side took all three points from their opening fixture of the campaign. CSK VVS were defeated for the third time in a row.
And here's the thing — we had backed the visitors. Our prediction called for a CSK VVS win with 42 per cent confidence. The match went another way entirely. The hosts found a way through when it mattered.
Kristall Saratov sit 21st in the table after one game. They have won their only match so far. CSK VVS remain 26th and have lost all three of their outings this season. Both sides are on zero points under the current standings system.
The home team carried momentum from recent results. They beat Diesel 3:2 on 3 September and followed that with a 3:1 victory on 28 August. CSK VVS have struggled since — a 2:4 defeat to Tambov on 5 September and a 1:2 loss to Diesel on 7 September round out their opening stretch.
To be fair, the margin tells you everything. Two goals separated the sides and that is often enough to decide a tight contest. Kristall Saratov now hold a slight advantage in the early standings, however thin the sample may be.