Rookie goalie Sergei Murashov hits rare milestone in first NHL win
Photo credit: Edit from PensBurgh
Rookie Sergei Murashov picked up his first NHL win today over the Predators in Sweden, and he's the second goalie in team history to do so via shutout.
Sergei Murashov was perfect in Stockholm, stopping all 21 shots he faced as the Pittsburgh Penguins closed out the 2025 NHL Global Series with a 4-0 win over the Nashville Predators on Sunday.
The 21-year-old earned his first NHL victory in just his second career start, facing 19 of those shots over the final two periods.
What Sergei Murashov accomplished
In the process, Murashov became only the second goaltender in Penguins history to earn a shutout in his first career win, joining Jeff Zatkoff, who accomplished the feat on Nov. 2, 2013.
Coming off a sluggish offensive showing on Friday, the Penguins immediately pushed back by outshooting Nashville 11-2 in the opening frame.
Parker Wotherspoon opened the scoring with a screened snap shot at 2:19 to give the Penguins early control.
Evgeni Malkin doubled that lead at 8:08, as a rebound scramble led to a centering attempt deflecting off Nic Hague's skate and in.
Sidney Crosby struck just over two minutes later, intercepting a clearing attempt and beating Juuse Saros short side for a 3-0 advantage.
That sequence led Predators coach Andrew Brunette to call an early timeout, but Nashville couldn't gain momentum. The Predators finished 0-for-4 on the power play and managed just five shots with the man advantage.
Why this win was so important for the Penguins
Blake Lizotte sealed the win with an empty-netter late in the third. Saros made 18 saves on 21 shots for Nashville, losers of eight of their last 10 games.
For Pittsburgh, the win snaps a three-game skid and sends them home from Sweden with renewed confidence. Murashov's milestone only adds to a weekend that could help reset the team's direction moving forward.
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