Yekaterinburg saw off Dynamo Moscow 2:1 in their KHL season opener on Friday evening, turning the tables on a side that had beaten them 5:2 just a week earlier. The hosts ground out the win in front of their own fans, a result that matters more than any table position at this stage.
Both sides enter the campaign with zero games, zero points — the table says nothing yet. By then, of course, these numbers will mean something. For now, the only fact is that Yekaterinburg came from behind to secure three points.
Recent form suggests this was no fluke. Dynamo had looked comfortable in their previous meeting, but Yekaterinburg turned to the kids and showed they can raise the tempo when they need to. The visitors did not travel to make up the numbers; they came to defend a lead they no longer held.
What the match lacked in spectacle it made up in substance. The scoreline tells the story — two goals to one, nothing more, nothing less. Dynamo saw the game out only in the sense that they accepted defeat rather than chasing it.
The standings will look very different by January. Right now, both clubs sit unplaced, each with a point to prove. Yekaterinburg started the season with a statement; Dynamo will want to respond before the next meeting.