Pittsburgh's Top Goalie Prospect Sergei Murashov Reaches Major Milestone as Penguins Clinch Playoff Spot

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins punched their ticket into the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs by outlasting the Hartford Wolf Pack with a drama-filled 4-3 win in overtime last night at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza.

Avery Hayes, with just 11.5 seconds left in overtime, scored the game-winner for the Penguins (36-18-7-1).

Rookie goalie Sergei Murashov recorded a gem of a performance by making six saves in overtime among his career-high 35 stops to remain unbeaten in the AHL at 11-0-0.

Murashov's victory matched him with John Curry for the team record for longest winning streak (11), but what's more impressive is how he has yet to lose a game since he joined the AHL Penguins.

With time running out, Vasily Ponomarev battled along the boards and chipped the puck down to Hayes on a breakaway.

Hayes made a deke before firing a shot off his stick blade, sliding it through the five-hole of Hartford goalie Dylan Garad for a highlight-reel finish. It was Hayes' second consecutive OT game-winner for the Penguins.

Both goaltenders gave quite a show in regulation, setting the stage for a high-flying overtime and Hayes' jaw-dropping winner.

With the two points banked in the standings, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton clinched their 20th total Calder Cup Playoff appearance in franchise history. All they really needed was one point to clinch, but the win made it all that much sweeter.

The Penguins now welcome the Charlotte Checkers for a two-game weekend set, beginning Saturday, March 29, at Bojangles' Coliseum. Faceoff is at 4:00 p.m. EST.