The Pittsburgh Penguins should have walked out of Chicago with two points on Tuesday night, but they didn’t. Instead, Sergei Murashov, who basically stole them a point against the Blue Jackets on Friday, probably cost them at least one point against the Blackhawks.
Sloppy Play, Worse Opponent, Same Result
Let’s be real, the Penguins weren’t playing clean hockey in Chicago. Their puck management was bad, their puck support was iffy, and they just didn’t finish enough chances. But here’s the kicker: the Blackhawks were probably even worse. The Penguins actually controlled enough of that game at 5-on-5 that they really should have left with a win. So, how did they not? It comes down to one simple, brutal truth: they just didn’t get enough saves. For a team that wasn’t four goals against bad, giving up four goals (plus an empty netter) against a team that barely had any real chances, well, that’s a problem. All the data out there backs that up, too.
That Fourth Goal Can’t Happen, Period
Look, the guys in front of Murashov made mistakes. The first goal was “bad hockey” from the Penguins, and the third was a “tough cross-ice pass.” But let’s talk about that fourth goal. It was an absolute gut punch, coming in the final five minutes after the Penguins had scrapped their way back from a two-goal hole. MoneyPuck had that shot at a ridiculous 0.01 expected goals. A 0.01! That’s a shot that simply cannot go in, from that spot, from that angle, at that moment. Or any moment, frankly. It can’t. And while some want to say the other goals weren’t “entirely his fault,” there’s a huge difference between “not entirely his fault” and “no chance to be stopped.” Sometimes, you just need your goalie to make the save that’s not fully expected. The second goal? That wasn’t unstoppable. Murashov didn’t even have to face 20 shots; the scoring chance numbers were heavily tilted for Pittsburgh. This wasn’t a save-heavy night for him, and yet, it was still not enough.
What’s Next for Murashov and the Penguins?
This isn’t a call to throw Murashov under the bus, or send him packing. The article makes it clear: he’s a highly regarded young player, potentially the “highest ceiling young player” on the Penguins. Goaltending can totally change a team’s timeline for contention, both short-term and long-term. But that Tuesday night game? It was a brutal reminder of the thin line goalies walk. The Penguins need him to be the guy who stole a point in Columbus, not the one who coughed one up in Chicago. They need him to bounce back, and fast, because those early season points matter, and a team can only afford so many “passable performances” that end up as losses.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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