DK: Penguins need to go to Murashov in goal ... now
Here's how to look at it: Why would Kyle Dubas NOT promote Sergei Murashov to be his team's starting goaltender, like, right now?
Because they're fine without him?
Nope:
Sorry, but nobody can win with performances like that at the most important position.
Oh, the Penguins had emerged just fine for their first few shifts Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena, and I mean that. They were skating stride for stride with the Avalanche, pretty much controlling play. But by the time the NHL's No. 1 team had far too routinely flicked four of their first dozen shots past Arturs Silovs ... well, yeah, that'd wind up 6-2 in Colorado's favor.
All his fault?
Of course not.
Has it all been about goaltending, this collective ceding between Silovs and Stuart Skinner of 20 goals over the past four games alone, amid a combined .840 save percentage?
Of course not.
To be blunt about this, though, it doesn't matter. Not anymore. Not when the Eastern Conference standings now look like this:
NHL
That's right. Eight of those 10 teams will make it, and the current bottom seven are separated by three whole points. The Blue Jackets overtook the Penguins by a point. The Bruins and Canadiens are tied with them. The Senators, their next opponent Thursday night in Ottawa, are a point back. The Islanders, their opponent next Monday in Elmont, N.Y., are a point back. The Red Wings, their opponent next Tuesday right back here, are two points back.
Oh, and only 11 games remain.
So, as I was saying: Why not Murashov?
The kid's universally regarded, inside and outside, as the organization's most gifted goaltender at any level. In 33 games amid his second AHL season for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he's 21-8-3 with a 2.20 goals-against average, a .919 save percentage and three shutouts.
Is he too young?
Not at all. Turns 22 next week. Matt Murray was 22 when raising his first Cup, and he also arrived at midseason when needed most.
Would it come across as a panic move?
You betcha. And so what?
Would it risk Murashov's development?
Please. He's now made 49 AHL starts, and his .917 save percentage has been the model of stability. He's beyond an All-Star at that level.
Does it matter he hasn't dominated of late?
Depends on one's definition. In Murashov's most recent start six days ago in Laval, Quebec, he gave up a mortal four goals on 28 shots. But these were the goals allowed in each of his previous seven starts: 1, 2, 0, 2, 3, 3 and 1.
I'll take that.
Would this be unfair to Silovs and/or Skinner?
Too bad. Clock's ticking.
How about to Joel Blomqvist, who's been almost as productive in Wilkes-Barre?
Awesome. Bring 'em both up. Carpool if needed.
Anything else?
Didn't think so. Get on the horn. Save this wonderful-to-date season. It might be the only save available to Dubas at this stage.
• How awful was this for Silovs?
Consider that one of the team's most approachable, accountable players was instructed not to speak with reporters afterward by the media relations staff, a great rarity in this setting.
• Look, I haven't appreciated Silovs' work since the beginning. I've been open and unapologetic about that. Even when he's used his athleticism to make the first save -- at times excellent in that regard -- he's had minimal rebound control, he's had visible difficulty tracking long shots, he's been utterly eviscerated in one-on-one settings and, just to throw this in, he scarcely even tries to play the puck behind the goal to help his defensemen.
I get that he's young, just 24. I get why he was acquired. I also get that he's got a ways to go.
• I'd rather not let Dan Muse off on this front, either. He keeps alternating these two, as if abdicating any actual management at the position. There are times when it's OK to prop up one over the other and at least hope for a better result. But that time's now passed.
• Man, Egor Chinakhov was terrific in this game. All night. Not even just his goal. Wasted.
• Thanks for reading my hockey coverage. I'll be all baseball the next five days, flying up to New York at sunrise in advance of Pirates-Mets, after which I'll hang around there for the aforementioned Penguins-Islanders meeting in nearby Elmont. We'll see if that one matters.
THE ASYLUM
DK: Penguins need to go to Murashov in goal ... now
Here's how to look at it: Why would Kyle Dubas NOT promote Sergei Murashov to be his team's starting goaltender, like, right now?
Because they're fine without him?
Nope:
Sorry, but nobody can win with performances like that at the most important position.
Oh, the Penguins had emerged just fine for their first few shifts Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena, and I mean that. They were skating stride for stride with the Avalanche, pretty much controlling play. But by the time the NHL's No. 1 team had far too routinely flicked four of their first dozen shots past Arturs Silovs ... well, yeah, that'd wind up 6-2 in Colorado's favor.
All his fault?
Of course not.
Has it all been about goaltending, this collective ceding between Silovs and Stuart Skinner of 20 goals over the past four games alone, amid a combined .840 save percentage?
Of course not.
To be blunt about this, though, it doesn't matter. Not anymore. Not when the Eastern Conference standings now look like this:
NHL
That's right. Eight of those 10 teams will make it, and the current bottom seven are separated by three whole points. The Blue Jackets overtook the Penguins by a point. The Bruins and Canadiens are tied with them. The Senators, their next opponent Thursday night in Ottawa, are a point back. The Islanders, their opponent next Monday in Elmont, N.Y., are a point back. The Red Wings, their opponent next Tuesday right back here, are two points back.
Oh, and only 11 games remain.
So, as I was saying: Why not Murashov?
The kid's universally regarded, inside and outside, as the organization's most gifted goaltender at any level. In 33 games amid his second AHL season for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he's 21-8-3 with a 2.20 goals-against average, a .919 save percentage and three shutouts.
Is he too young?
Not at all. Turns 22 next week. Matt Murray was 22 when raising his first Cup, and he also arrived at midseason when needed most.
Would it come across as a panic move?
You betcha. And so what?
Would it risk Murashov's development?
Please. He's now made 49 AHL starts, and his .917 save percentage has been the model of stability. He's beyond an All-Star at that level.
Does it matter he hasn't dominated of late?
Depends on one's definition. In Murashov's most recent start six days ago in Laval, Quebec, he gave up a mortal four goals on 28 shots. But these were the goals allowed in each of his previous seven starts: 1, 2, 0, 2, 3, 3 and 1.
I'll take that.
Would this be unfair to Silovs and/or Skinner?
Too bad. Clock's ticking.
How about to Joel Blomqvist, who's been almost as productive in Wilkes-Barre?
Awesome. Bring 'em both up. Carpool if needed.
Anything else?
Didn't think so. Get on the horn. Save this wonderful-to-date season. It might be the only save available to Dubas at this stage.
• How awful was this for Silovs?
Consider that one of the team's most approachable, accountable players was instructed not to speak with reporters afterward by the media relations staff, a great rarity in this setting.
• Look, I haven't appreciated Silovs' work since the beginning. I've been open and unapologetic about that. Even when he's used his athleticism to make the first save -- at times excellent in that regard -- he's had minimal rebound control, he's had visible difficulty tracking long shots, he's been utterly eviscerated in one-on-one settings and, just to throw this in, he scarcely even tries to play the puck behind the goal to help his defensemen.
I get that he's young, just 24. I get why he was acquired. I also get that he's got a ways to go.
• I'd rather not let Dan Muse off on this front, either. He keeps alternating these two, as if abdicating any actual management at the position. There are times when it's OK to prop up one over the other and at least hope for a better result. But that time's now passed.
• Man, Egor Chinakhov was terrific in this game. All night. Not even just his goal. Wasted.
• Thanks for reading my hockey coverage. I'll be all baseball the next five days, flying up to New York at sunrise in advance of Pirates-Mets, after which I'll hang around there for the aforementioned Penguins-Islanders meeting in nearby Elmont. We'll see if that one matters.
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