Sergei Murashov’s 34-save shutout on Dec. 10 was another reminder in a season that’s had plenty of them. The season where a .943 save percentage (SV%) and a 1.56 goals-against average is confirmation. Murashov is an NHL-caliber goaltender and a rising star in the net.
The Pittsburgh Penguins called Murashov up last month for a few starts, one of which was a shutout in the Global Series against the Nashville Predators. He was sent back down to the American Hockey League (AHL) ahead of Thanksgiving but has only proven that he’s ready for the NHL.
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Murashov’s latest performance saw him stop 20 shots in the first period and ultimately fuel a 3-0 shutout victory for the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. “We couldn’t play any worse but the good was that we were tied,” head coach Kirk MacDonald noted after the game, and the only reason it was tied (and they won is because of the presence in the net.
“Sometimes you have a slow start, and sometimes you have games like that. It’s all about being ready,” Murashov added after the win over the Hartford Wolf Pack, and his preparation for pressure moments like these is proof that his play is up to the standards of the next level.
Why Murashov Stands Out
Most fans will see Murashov as an athletic goaltender who can make any stop. That’s mostly true since he can record and make a big save. What stands out after watching the 21-year-old Russian is his positioning. His angles to the initial shot and the way he plays the puck allow him to make most saves look effortless.
“All the positions is work together,” Murashov mentioned after the latest game, noting how the coaching staff prepares him to be in the right spots for those saves. It’s why the Penguins as an organization, have seen a resurgence in goaltending as the team has a new philosophy to help out the position and allow them to prepare for games.
Murashov takes preparation to another level, and it stands out. It’s why the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins look like the best team in the AHL when he plays. “For me, it’s all about winning,” Murashov added, and the Penguins are 8-2 in games he’s started.
It’s worth adding that Murashov is a calming presence in the net. When he starts, it changes the team in front of him, and “I think it allows us to play with confidence,” MacDonald stated after a dominant team performance where they struggled early but then controlled play against a fatigued Wolf Pack team. It’s the effect that Murashov has on his team.
What Murashov Must Do To Remain in the NHL
The Nov. 22 game against the Seattle Kraken exposed Murashov. He allowed three goals on 21 shots, and the skilled NHLers would take quick wristers that caught him off guard. In the AHL, goaltenders can prepare for the shot on the net but in the NHL, everything is a half-second faster. Murashov, while quick, is not playing at that speed yet.
At the AHL level, teams are trying to get into his sight lines and score dirty area goals against him. “The biggest message was to get to his crease and get to his eyes. He’s obviously seeing the puck,” Wolf Pack captain Casey Fitzgerald noted after the 3-0 loss. Fitzgerald answered the questions after the game, not in a state of defeat but with a resignation that there wasn’t much they could do to beat an elite goaltender. It’s not easy, and only the best offenses have scored on Murashov this season.
In 11 starts, he’s only allowed three goals in a game twice. One of those games came on Oct. 29 against the Providence Bruins. They play a heavy game and got to his crease to net a few goals in the rare Murashov loss. Those are the goals that are scored in the NHL, especially in the playoffs, and Murashov must be ready to stop them.
The physical game is worth adding since Murashov, while 6-foot-2, isn’t a commanding presence in the net. In the second period of the recent game, the Wolf Pack had a rush chance where a skater went into his crease, and there was no response from him or the Penguins (it’s a good thing Billy Smith isn’t his goaltending coach or he’d tell him that the night was embarrassing despite the shutout). Murashov will get tested, especially at the next level, and he must be prepared and protect his crease.
The NHL Made Murashov Better
Murashov was playing well before he was called up to the NHL. The starts provided highs and lows but didn’t stand out. His return to the AHL has as he’s started three games and allowed only three goals while saving 105 of the 109 shots he’s faced.
“He’s come down here with a big motivation. There’s a real battle here,” MacDonald noted. Murashov is not only trying to win a competition with the NHL goaltenders but must outplay Joel Blomqvist, who is having a great season in his own right for the AHL team. Murashov is winning that battle, and it’s why he’s a short call-up away from returning to the next level.
When Murashov was asked how his time in the NHL helped him, he confirmed that his preparation works there just like it does in Wilkes-Barre. “It’s all about the preparation. The work that I do works at any level.” The top goaltending prospect is ready to be a starter and possibly an elite one in the NHL at 21 years old, yet he must wait for his opportunity.
Eventually, Penguins Must Make a Decision
The only reason Murashov isn’t a regular with the Penguins is that they have two goaltenders who have played well all season. They acquired Arturs Silovs in the offseason, and the move has paid off. Plus, Tristan Jarry is having a resurgence. The team won’t place either veteran on waivers, so Murashov is stuck.
That said, Murashov is good enough to force the Penguins and general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas’s hand. His great play makes Jarry expendable, and with Stanley Cup contenders around the league looking for goaltenders, a deal can be made.
If he keeps playing this way, and there’s little doubt that he will, it’s only a matter of time before a big move happens. He’s leading the AHL team to the best record in the Atlantic Division and can lead them to a Calder Cup. Yet, the Penguins might want him leading them to a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs or better sooner rather than later.
