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Penguins Insider: The Murashov Difference; Others Wait (+)
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- Penguins Insider: The Murashov Difference; Others Wait (+)
Charles LeClaire-Imagn ImagesCharles LeClaire-Imagn Images
PHN+ Summary: Insider locker room conversations with goalie Sergei Murashov about his intellectual dissection on different goaltending situations and why it separates him from most goalies, and the thoughts of other players who are waiting, if not fighting, to get back into the lineup.
CRANBERRY TWP., Pa. —One after another, the Pittsburgh Penguins shooters took turns in shootout practice trying to beat goalie Sergei Murashov . And one by one, each player, including the stars, lightheartedly scoffed or let loose words not fit for print.
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Murashov was on his game Wednesday as he turned aside the shootout attempts by Evgeni Malkin , Erik Karlsson , Tommy Novak , and others before Kris Letang used the speed move to score.
Murashov, 22, is an interesting human being. He chats with writers about literature and books, well off the topic of hockey. He also analyzes the position in a way that sounds more like a professor than a student.
For instances, if you watch the shootout video closely, you will notice how far beyond the crease Murashov positions himself, and he does not give ground. That’s different from Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner , who often back toward the net. In fairness, the Penguins have won their last two shootouts, but their 1-11 record before that gave away a lot of points.
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Is holding firm above the crease a strategy? Well, no. Does it pressure the shooters, giving them less time? It does, but it’s more than that, too.
“Not a strategy. I’d say it’s psychology,” the thoughtful Murashov told PHN. “It shows them I’m in the driver’s seat, you know? It’s about who’s in control.”
Part of the process is also adopting an aggressive stance. PHN promised we wouldn’t divulge too many of his state secrets, but everything he does has a purpose. He doesn’t hesitate or hedge on his psychology–he knows it.
Through the conversation about the shootouts and goaltending, it felt like talking with a 20-year veteran who intricately understood the nuances of things few second-year pros would have ever considered. It was fascinating before he was summoned to a meeting.
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And when he returned, he happily engaged others in an academic pursuit. He’s a different kind of goalie.
Jack St. Ivany
The Penguins’ physical defenseman has been a late bloomer. At 26 years old, the Penguins were prepared to give him a long runway this season. After he recovered from a foot injury in preseason, which cost him the first few months of the season, another detour to his NHL career was waiting.
Beginning in December, he played 17 games, had seven points, and was a plus-7.
In fact, his play crested in mid-January when he had back-to-back multi-point games as the Penguins swept through western Canada. He registered about 19 minutes in each game.
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And then, just as he was getting traction, he suffered another injury–a hand injury while blocking a shot. It was another unfortunate setback just as it appeared St. Ivany was ready to claim full-time work in the big show.
“Oh, you don’t have to tell me,” St. Ivany retorted.
St. Ivany is a rare commodity in the NHL–a right-handed defenseman capable of playing hard minutes and clearing the net-front. His ceiling is still unknown, as injuries have plagued the 6-foot-4, 197-pound D-man over the last few years.
He’s disappointed that he lost his lineup spot to Connor Clifton , but there was nary a trace of any ill feelings. The former Yale student had already put it all in perspective, including examples to follow.
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“You look at last season, (Haydn) Fleury in Winnipeg . He missed like 40 games, but they needed him in the playoffs and he stepped right in,” St. Ivany told PHN.
Indeed, St. Ivany is healthy. He’s off injured reserve, and he’s ready to play if called upon.
As a stay-at-home defender, who first caught our attention in January 2023 right before his first NHL recall by physically tossing forwards away from the crease, also clued PHN into a point of contention in the Penguins meetings: Don’t touch the Penguins goalie.
“In the PK meetings with Stotz (assistant coach Mike Stothers), he always makes a point, don’t let them touch our goalie. That’s why as soon as someone gets close, you see Cliffy … he gets right in their grill.”
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The Penguins have four fights in their last five games, including one by Clifton, as the team has stood up for itself in a more forceful way.
The guess here is that if the Penguins clinch Thursday, St. Ivany is worth getting some ice time. While Connor Clifton and Ryan Shea have been good, St. Ivany brings some of the same qualities with a little more predictability.
St. Ivany is also signed through next season, but Clifton is not.
Without roster limits, the Penguins have 27 players on their roster, including three goalies. That is a lot of healthy scratches, and a lot of players looking wistfully at the chosen 18 skaters.
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But there hasn’t been a crestfallen player or one who has shrunk to the shadows, moping. Make no mistakes, those players were easy to spot in years past. Perhaps Kevin Hayes has kept the soon-to-be Black Aces light. Perhaps it is a good group that understands its time will come.
The post Penguins Insider: The Murashov Difference; Others Wait (+) appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now .
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