Penguins Turn to Sergei Murashov After Early Season Defensive Struggles

The Pittsburgh Penguins are giving Sergei Murashov another opportunity in goal as they prepare to face Columbus on the road, according to a report published by CBS Sports on October 9, 2026. The 22-year-old Russian goaltender is expected to make his second appearance of the season after conceding three goals in Monday's 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

Murashov stopped 30 of 33 shots against Winnipeg at PPG Paints Arena, according to TribLIVE. His next opportunity comes as Arturs Silovs has struggled through his first three appearances, posting a 3.37 goals-against average, leaving the Penguins with an opening to give Murashov more playing time.

According to Pittsburgh Hockey Now reporter Dan Kingerski, Murashov was the first goaltender to leave the ice Friday, an indication that he would start against Columbus. The Penguins have not established a permanent starter, and the competition between their two young goalies remains significant.

Murashov made his NHL debut last season, appearing in five games. He entered the 2026-27 campaign after emerging from training camp alongside Silovs, while Joel Blomqvist was assigned to the American Hockey League's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton team, according to Yahoo Sports.

After his season debut against Winnipeg, Murashov acknowledged that he needed time to process the defeat rather than immediately assess his performance.

"Give me a couple minutes. I’ll come back tomorrow maybe with a clear mind, quiet mind, rested mind. … Right now, it is what it is, and we’ll keep going." Murashov said after the game, according to TribLIVE.

He also referred to a Russian saying about the value of reflecting after a night's rest.

"There is a saying in Russian: Morning is wiser than evening. Just take a good sleep. Good rest and think about that tomorrow so we can get better from this game." Murashov said.

The Penguins' defensive performance also drew attention after another late-game collapse. Pittsburgh surrendered three goals in the third period against Winnipeg, turning a 1-0 advantage into a 2-1 deficit before Declan Carlile tied the score at 2-2. Cole Perfetti scored the winning goal for Winnipeg just nine seconds later.

Forward Ben Kindel identified defensive mistakes and turnovers as key problems for Pittsburgh.

"We’ve got to be tighter on the defensive side. Less mistakes and turnovers that landed in the back of our net," Kindel said. "It’s early in the season. We’ve got a lot of time to work on it."

Forward Rickard Rakell also pointed to the team's loss of momentum after a promising start.

"We had a good start to the game, but then we got away a little bit," Rakell said. "Got a little bit impatient, which kind of made the momentum go to their side. Not enough shifts going hand in hand in trying to get back into this game. We just have to be better."

Head coach Dan Muse defended Murashov's performance, highlighting several important saves during the opening period when Pittsburgh struggled to contain Winnipeg's attacks.

"I thought he played well," Muse said. "You look at that first period, especially in the last five to seven minutes, some of the saves that he made. I thought that we were not on point, and he made some huge saves to kind of weather some storms."

Muse also credited goaltending coach Andy Chiodo with helping the team's netminders prepare for the demands of NHL competition.

"(Goalie coach Andy Chiodo) has a lot of those conversations in terms of the preparation for the goalies, and he does a great job," Muse said. "I think he’s a mature young man."

Pittsburgh's defensive concerns extend beyond the Winnipeg game. The Penguins also conceded three third-period goals against Montreal on Saturday, allowing the Canadiens to force overtime before Pittsburgh secured a 6-5 victory. Murashov's upcoming appearance against Columbus offers another test as the team seeks greater consistency in goal and tighter defensive play.

Meanwhile, Bryan Rust participated in a morning skate while recovering from an upper-body injury but remained limited to non-contact activity, according to Yahoo Sports. Ville Koivunen also skated on the third line during practice, suggesting he could return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch in the previous game.