Olympia hammered Zvezda Moscow 7-2 in the VHL on Monday evening. The hosts took full advantage of being at home, while the visitors managed only two goals in reply. The result leaves both sides winless after their opening fixtures.
That is the state of affairs after one round. Olympia sit 27th with two games played and no points. Zvezda are 20th, one match down, also on zero points. The table tells you nothing about who might finish where.
Recent form does not suggest either side was in good shape. Olympia lost 4-1 at Dynamo St Petersburg and 3-2 to SKA-VMF before that. Zvezda dropped 3-2 at Khimik and then 0-3 in their next meeting with the same side. Two defeats in a row for both.
And here's the thing about a 7-2 scoreline — it does not tell you much about how the game unfolded. There are no period-by-period breakdowns available, no goalscorers listed, no assists to work with. What we have is the final number and nothing else.
Both teams will hope to turn things around. Olympia have one more game before they face anyone else, while Zvezda's next match is already on the calendar. The standings remain wide open, as they should after two rounds.