Murashov Caps Sweden Trip With First NHL Win, Shutout

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – After the Penguins beat the Predators 4-0 on Sunday at Avicii Arena to finish the 2025 Global Series, the team had an important game puck to hand out.

Sergei Murashov became the second goaltender in Penguins history to record a shutout in his first career win, joining Jeff Zatkoff (Nov. 2, 2013).

At 21 years and 229 days old, Murashov became the sixth-youngest goaltender in franchise history to record a shutout.

He also tied Denis Herron as the fastest Penguins goaltender to record a shutout from the start of his career (two games played).

“Great job by everybody – Sergei, great work, man,” said head coach Dan Muse, with goalie coach Andy Chiodo awarding the rubber disc to Murashov. He then stood up and gave an impromptu little speech thanking the guys, much to their delight.

Right after that, Anthony Mantha awarded Murashov the player of the game helmet, with his teammates hooting and hollering for another speech from the endearing young goalie.

“Guys, thanks a lot again. It’s amazing. Thank you!” Murashov said with a big grin.

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.”

Murashov has a toy Olaf that he got from a Kinder Surprise Egg when he was little, and the little snowman accompanies him on his adventures around the world. After Murashov got called up to Pittsburgh for the first time in his career, he joked that Olaf was packing his bags for Sweden.

The two of them had a wonderful time exploring Stockholm, going to a couple of museums. Sergei and Olaf went to the Vasa Museum, which he posted about on his Instagram account, along with the National Museum. There, Sergei was thrilled to discover a piece of artwork from his hometown in Russia.

“We spent a week here, so it's definitely going to be a memory, for sure,” Murashov said. “I was really happy to live here, to play here. People are really kind here. I really enjoyed the time here, walking around. It’s a really nice city. I would say it's a great memory.”

Being in Europe meant it was easier for Murashov to chat with his family and friends, as the time difference is much more manageable.

“It's a two hours difference with my home,” Murashov said. “So, it's even nice just to catch up, to call my family, because sometimes I don't have enough time in the morning back in the U.S. That’s why sometimes I have to rush my call or just wait for a day off. But here, I can call my mom in the evening, and it's pretty nice.”

He certainly has a lot to talk about these days, after the 2022 fourth-round pick made his highly-anticipated NHL debut after a dominant first pro season in North America.

“I think we all know he's a talented young kid that has all the potential in the world. The games that he's played for us so far this year, I think that he brings a calming presence out there,” Erik Karlsson said. “It's hard to know how young he really is and how little experience he has. So, as a teammate as a whole, I think that he gives our group a really good chance at winning.

“Happy for him that he's been able to perform the way he has so far, with the expectations that everybody has with him. So, I can't say that I'm surprised. And getting to know him a little bit now, I'm sure that he's just going to thrive and keep getting better and better.”