Crosby, Malkin help Penguins cap successful trip to Sweden in Global Series

STOCKHOLM -- When the Pittsburgh Penguins needed a response against the Nashville Predators in the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden on Sunday, it came from their two biggest names for the past two decades -- and a new one.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each scored a goal to help Pittsburgh jump out to an early three-goal lead, and rookie goalie Sergei Murashov took care of the rest, making 21 saves to earn his first NHL win and shutout in a 4-0 victory at Avicii Arena in Stockholm. The victory sent the Penguins (10-5-4) home with three out of a possible four points from the two games against the Predators in Sweden, and feeling a lot better about themselves after letting a late lead slip away in a 2-1 overtime loss on Friday.

“I think we were pretty motivated coming off of last game the way it finished and didn’t feel like we played our best,” Crosby said. “And to have it finish the way it did, I thought we were just motivated to bounce back and I thought it showed with the way we played.”

It was no surprise that Crosby and Malkin set the tone, as they have many times in their 20 seasons as teammates, which included winning the Stanley Cup three times (2009, 2016, 2017). Crosby, 38, and Malkin, 39, were also in Stockholm with the Penguins when they last played two games outside North America in the 2008 NHL Premiere Series against the Ottawa Senators.

Now, they’re leading the Penguins’ unexpected resurgence after they missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past three seasons. Malkin scored Pittsburgh’s lone goal Friday, but that and goalie Arturs Silovs (28 saves) were among its few bright spots in a game in which it was outshot 20-10 after the second period and allowed the tying goal with 1:10 remaining in the third.

“We weren't very good in the first game,” Malkin said. “… We flew for seven hours to get here, so, obviously, wanted to win today. Three points in these two games is a good result.”

Murashov played a big role in that in just his second NHL start. After facing only two shots in the first period, he faced 19 over the final two and calmly stopped them all to become the third goalie in NHL history with a shutout in a regular-season game outside North America, joining Tim Thomas (2010 Premiere Series with the Boston Bruins) and Antti Niemi (2009 Premiere Series with the Chicago Blackhawks).

“It’s definitely going to be a memory, for sure, and I’m really happy to be able to play here,” 21-year-old native of Yaroslavl, Russia said. “People are really kind here. I really enjoyed the time here walking around. It’s really nice city. But I would say it’s a great memory.”

Murashov is still getting used to sharing a locker room and the ice with Crosby and Malkin after being called up Nov. 4 because Tristan Jarry was placed on Injured reserve after sustaining a lower-body injury. He is well aware of their exploits, but is trying to avoid being starstruck.

“They keep the standard for 20 years and actually, I would say, it’s insane, but it’s insane in a really good way,” Murashov said. “That is what makes them really special. So, it’s such a great gift for me in this life to play with them.”

Malkin and Crosby helped make life easy for Murashov early. After Penguins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon scored on a screened snap shot from the left point at 2:19, Malkin made it 2-0 when his attempted centering pass from behind the net deflected in off the left skate of Predators defenseman Nicolas Hague a 8:08.

Crosby beat goalie Juuse Saros to the short side from the left circle to make it 3-0 at 10:13.

Penguins coach Dan Muse said Crosby’s and Malkin’s contributions went beyond their offensive contributions, though.

“Obviously, those guys are a huge part of it there with the goals, but I also think the way the team played in the first period, we were really happy with that,” Muse said. “That’s the way we needed to come out. So, that’s a credit to those guys. That’s a credit to our leadership too, of making sure the group is ready to go.”

Murashov carried the load in the second period when the Penguins ran into penalty trouble and the Predators had three consecutive power plays, including a 5-on-3 advantage for 34 seconds. Murashov stopped all eight Predators’ shots in the period, including a left pad save on Steven Stamkos’ one-timer from the left circle during the 5-on-3 at 12:51.

Murashov closed out his first shutout with 11 more saves in the third period, ending the Penguins’ recent trend of surrendering leads late that included a 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in his NHL debut on Nov. 9.

“I thought today he looked calm and poised,” Crosby said. “There was a big test there in the second with all those penalties we took, the 5-on-3, and 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.”

It was a much-needed victory for Pittsburgh, which was 1-3-2 in its previous six games after going 8-2-2 in its first 12. For defenseman Erik Karlsson, it also provided a satisfying ending to a busy six days helping his Penguins teammates experience the culture of his home country.

The 35-year-old Landsbro, Sweden, native was the Penguins’ lone Swede to play in the series; Forward Rickard Rakell was on the trip but was sidelined following hand surgery, Filip Larsson was also along for the ride but only as the emergency third goalie in case of injury, and forward Filip Hallander stayed back in Pittsburgh recovering from a blood clot in his leg.

Karlsson also played in Stockholm in the 2017 NHL Global Series with the Ottawa Senators, but that didn’t lessen his appreciation for doing it again. The win Sunday put an exclamation point on the trip.

“I’ve been in the League for 17 years and played four games over here. I’m pretty lucky to have that,” said Karlsson, who had an assist on Wotherspoon’s goal. “But I think in general, it’s a great thing to do. … To be able to be here and give people the opportunity to watch it live that might otherwise not have that opportunity is something that if I look back to when I was an 8-year-old boy, and if I had that opportunity I would jump at that and I think that would’ve done a lot for me.

“So, being able to do that now is very special.”