The Penguins had a dominant first period, keeping the ice tilted in their favor and outshooting Nashville 11-2. But they were shorthanded for much of the second, with the Predators getting a 5-on-3 power play as part of a long sequence, and Murashov was strong between the pipes.
“That’s my job. That’s why I’m here,” Murashov said. “So, it’s nice to be in game, engaged. Every challenge, you can be scared of that, or just jump in and just battle. So, I prefer second. And it was a really good feeling.”
He carried that into the third period, where the Predators put eight shots on goal. Murashov ended up stopping 21 total, with his teammates complimenting his calming presence. Especially coming off a night where the Penguins gave up a lead late and ended up losing in overtime. They had found themselves in a similar situation the game before against Los Angeles, which was Murashov’s NHL debut.
“He played well in the other game that he played, and unfortunately, we weren’t able to give him the win,” Sidney Crosby said. “But I thought today, he looked calm and poised. There was a big test there in the second with all those penalties we took, 5-on-3 That puts a lot of pressure on your goalie, and I thought he handled it really well. So, he was steady and gave us a chance here today.”
The crowd was predominantly Penguins fans, who were behind Murashov all night. They cheered him on through each save and when he was named the game’s First Star to cap off a memorable trip to Sweden.
“It’s actually amazing. Really great crowd, great vibe at the arena,” Murashov said. “Thanks for everyone who came in who watched this game. It’s a really nice opportunity in life, just to change scenery and play in a different spot, but still take care of our own business. So, I would say it’s a really great opportunity. I’m just grateful for that.”