Rookie goalie Sergei Murashov has only played two games for the Pittsburgh Penguins so far in Tristan Jarry’s absence, but he’s already making a great first impression.
After saving 24 of 27 shots in his NHL debut against the Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 9, Murashov followed it up with a 4-0 shutout against the Nashville Predators on Sunday in just his second career start. In the process, he tied a team record for fewest games played to record his first career shutout, matching Denis Herron from the 1972-1973 campaign.
The 21-year-old Russian stopped all 21 of the Predators’ shots, helping the Penguins leave Stockholm with a split in the NHL Global Series following Friday’s overtime loss.
He said that although his teammates tried to gift him a watch for his remarkable performance, he doesn’t wear watches.
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Meanwhile, Pittsburgh’s offense gave him plenty of support, scoring as many goals as it did in the previous three games combined. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Parker Witherspoon and Blake Lizotte all scored for the Penguins.
It was Pittsburgh’s third shutout win of the season, improving the team’s record to 10-5-4 and snapping its three-game losing streak. All three Penguins goalies already have a shutout this season, as Arturs Silovs and Jarry both recorded one in October.
With Jarry sidelined by a lower-body injury for at least one more week, Murashov will likely get at least one more chance in goal before he returns from the injured list.
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Featured image via Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images