Penguins lose to Kings in goaltender Sergei Murashov’s debut

Penguins rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov is still getting used to his surroundings in Pittsburgh (and America, for that matter).

So, if the 21-year-old Russian wasn’t completely certain that the local football squad was playing at night on Sunday, he can be forgiven.

He was just grateful for the enthusiastic reception he received when he took to the ice for his NHL debut during a 3-2 home loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday afternoon.

“I felt it, and truly appreciate it, everyone who came to the building today instead of watching (the) Steelers,” Murashov said. “I know it’s a game today.

“It’s a great building, great city, great people here. So, I truly appreciate that.”

That adoration was mutual as the highly intriguing prospect was cheered upon being formally announced as the starting goaltender, then drew roars with a handful of athletic toe saves or technically proficient denials with his glove.

In total, Murashov stopped 24 of 27 shots in a come-from-ahead loss. The Kings wound up scoring a pair of goals in the third period to claim victory.

“A couple of plays where we didn’t have enough guys back,” Penguins forward Tommy Novak said. “And they’re good off the rush and executed well. Had a couple of breakdowns.”

Novak opened the scoring with his second goal of the season 8 minutes, 48 seconds into regulation.

Taking a pass in Los Angeles’ left circle, Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin flicked a backhanded pass to the front of the crease, where Novak was stationed. As Kings defenseman Drew Doughty tried to hog tie him to the ice, Novak was able to shuffle in a forehand shot by goaltender Darcy Kuemper’s right skate.

“It’s just a great pass,” Novak said. “I just tried to fight for the net-front positioning. Right on my tape, a perfect pass.”

The contest was tied at 14:34 of the first period when Kings forward Anze Kopitar — a 20-year veteran who is retiring after this season and was making his final presumed visit to Pittsburgh — scored his second goal during a power-play sequence.

Taking a pass in the Penguins’ left corner, Kopitar simply snapped a bad-angle wrister to the crease, and the puck wound up glancing off of Wotherspoon’s stick, then hitting off the inside of Murashov’s left leg before deflecting into the cage.

Penguins forward Anthony Mantha scored his eighth goal at 7:48 of the second period to restore a lead.

From the right half-wall of the offensive zone, Penguins rookie forward Ville Koivunen fed the puck to the high slot, where Mantha one-touched a backhanded pass through his legs to the right point. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang accepted the pass, waited a moment for Kopitar to apply pressure, then slipped the puck back to Mantha, who pumped a wrister from the left hashmarks through Kuemper’s five hole.

Kings forward Corey Perry’s team-leading seventh goal came at 4:49 of the third period.

Utilizing a combined screen of former Penguins defenseman Cody Ceci and current Penguins defenseman Shea, Perry fired a wrister from the Penguins’ high slot by Murashov’s blocker.

Fiala supplied the visitors with their first lead of the contest with his seventh goal at 11:52 of the third frame.

Entering the Penguins’ zone on the right wing, Fiala challenged Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson one-on-one. Deking past Karlsson in the right circle, Fiala attacked the cage by skating across the front of the crease, then roofed a wrister over the glove of a sprawling Murashov.

“We got away from some of the defensive details that are important,” Penguins coach Dan Muse said. “You look at the chances and what we gave up. And I think we need to do a better job of generating five on five. It’s both sides of it. We didn’t get it done there (today).”

The result was the Penguins’ fourth loss out of their past five games (1-3-1).

But Murashov’s otherwise sturdy performance provided a small cause to celebrate in his adopted hometown.

“Obviously, it’s not the result I wanted, we wanted,” Murashov said. “Yes, it’s a special night for me, but at the end of the day, all I’m wanting is just to get two points for the team.

“But it’s a good lesson. We will learn from it and keep getting stronger. And me personally.”

Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.