Its time for the Penguins to make the call to Murashov.
In 2016, the Penguins had a number 81 on their third line. They had a couple of kids playing throughout the lineup. Sid and Geno were steering the ship. They also had a rookie goalie whose last name started with an M come in, took the starting job (from an injured Fleury), and won the Stanley Cup. In 2017, the Penguins added a goalscorer wearing number 59 to the above crop. Well, in 2026, the Penguins have a number 81 on their third line. They have kids playing (or could play) throughout the lineup (Koivunen, McGroarty, Soderblom, Kindel). Sid and Geno are still steering the ship. They added possibly the game’s greatest goalscorer; he wears number 59. The only thing this team is missing is a rookie goaltender whose last name begins with an M.
Luckily, the Penguins do possess a goaltender who fits the M last name category. It’s time for Sergei Murashov to come up permanently to the big leagues. The Penguins lost again last night, this time to Colorado by a score of 5-1. Unlike the game two nights prior, the team had its legs, and the game was relatively evenly played. However, similarly to two nights ago, the goaltending performance for the Penguins was poor. Goalies are going to let in goals; it’s a part of hockey, and goalies are going to sometimes let in goals they would want back. The Penguins are experiencing too many goals going behind their netminders, though. Through the last 11 games, the Penguins have given up 4.34 goals per game, and despite their defensive mishaps, that number is still way too high. For instance, the second Colorado goal last night was due to a terrible Mantha turnover, but the puck still shouldn’t have found the twine.
Silovs struggles with shots from distance; it’s been well documented. You think in the playoffs the net front will get any less congested? Absolutely not. If you aren’t going to fight through screens, then let the Russian come up and take your crease.
The fourth goal was a product of good passing and a well-placed shot by Parker Kelly, but it still needs to be stopped. This goal was preventable and felt like a dagger through the game’s heart.
If you don’t want to get off your post and challenge the shooter, then go throw on a baseball cap and let the Russian defend the house.
With the game all but over, another point shot was badly misplayed, which would wind up with Necas scoring his second of the game.
If you don’t have the ability to send pucks into the corner or somewhere safe, get some nachos and watch Sergei steal the show.
Maybe I am overly critical right now of the goaltending, but the Penguins cannot afford to have them be the reason they drop games right now. Only 11 games remain, and if they continue to squander 4-5 goals a night, the Islanders will certainly pass them. For those worried about Sergei coming up at such an intense time of year, go kick rocks. If the kid is legit, which by all accounts he is, then he won’t be phased by the moment. If he were to get overwhelmed by the moment or the lack of defense, he probably isn’t the goalie of the future anyway. For those saying his numbers haven’t been great in Wilkes over his last five starts, shut up, you’re wrong.
One game above four goals. The Wilkes-Barre team is better at shutting down its opposition than the Pittsburgh team. Goals are still going to be scored. His save percentage at the AHL level is still .919%. He has also played a few games at the NHL level, where, if he didn’t have one stinker against Utah, his NHL save percentage would be 0.913%, and his actual SV% is .897 which is higher than both Silovs and Skinner at the NHL level. There is absolutely no evidence to support that he isn’t the best option at the team’s disposal, so use him.
Sink or swim with your youth, that’s what this season was supposed to be about anyway.
Aside from the goaltending issues, the NHL can fuck off. They have absolutely no ability to call goaltender interference correctly. It’s literally a nightly storyline, and not just out of Pittsburgh. Mini Hitler, Gary Bettman, must be blind because he apparently sees nothing wrong with the way the challenges have been handled this season. The Penguins combined for/against 1-13 on goaltender interference challenges going in their favor. That is complete and utter bullshit; something fishy just has to be going on to continuously bone the Penguins on these calls. Brazeau had one taken away from him last night. Not only was Braz OUTSIDE THE CREASE, but he was also contacted by Devon Toews, which is what caused the contact with the goaltender. Just complete incompetence. The Penguins may have very well gone on to lose the game, but there’s a world where it should have been 4-2 with a power-play and all the momentum. With the way the Penguins have fought back this season, they would have liked their chances in that scenario. That scenario was unable to happen because this league is a complete joke.
The Penguins did catch a break last night because the Islanders, Red Wings, Bruins, Capitals, and Flyers all lost. They, like the Penguins, also all lost in regulation. This was a huge break for the Penguins because they remained in their wildcard spot and only dropped in playoff percentage by 3%. They cannot expect that trend to continue, though; they need to start winning games on Thursday when they play the red-hot Senators. The Penguins’ schedule will begin to ease up once this month of hell is over, but they cannot afford to drop games to Ottawa, the Islanders, and the Red Wings because they are all times in the hunt with them. Scoreboard watching is now an every-night occurrence for Penguins fans, and the teams in the chase all have a relatively difficult path going forward.
If the Penguins are going to march back to the playoffs, they can likely bank on a few guys helping them get there. Namely, Sidney Crosby and Egor Chinahkov. Chinny scored yet again. Three games in a row for the league’s best Russian-born goal scorer.
Crosby still hasn’t found his game coming back from injury, but he is still putting up a point every single night. He did last night to set up Rakell midway through the third period. If Sid gets back to his customary levels, the Penguins are going to be just fine.
Last night might have felt like a disaster, but it really wasn’t. Though a disaster could be looming if the goaltending doesn’t improve and/or Sergei Murashov doesn’t come up to save the day.
