Marc-Andre Fleury's final game in Pittsburgh was an unforgettable experience for many, fans and longtime teammates alike.
But there was one young Pittsburgh Penguins' prospect that had a front-row seat - and unique perspective - to all of it.
Goaltender Sergei Murashov, 21, was the other netminder who participated in Saturday's 4-1 pre-season win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. He manned the net for the first two periods of play, stopping 12 of 13 shots faced, and he had the best seat in the house to witness the third-period shutout performance by one of his childhood idols.
“Marc-Andre is a part of Penguins’ history, which I was watching growing up," Murashov said. "Yesterday on the bench, I caught myself, like, ‘Oh, it’s Malkin, it’s Crosby, Fleury, Karlsson, Letang, Rust… you know, all these guys are just playing, and I’m a part of all this.' So, it’s huge for me, and I’m grateful for it. Really, truly grateful."
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Sergei Murashov: "Yesterday on the bench, I caught myself, like, ‘oh, it’s Malkin, it's Crosby, Fleury, Karlsson, Letang, Rust... all these guys are just playing, and I'm a part of all this.' So, it's huge for me, and I'm grateful for it. Really, truly grateful."
He also said that, despite some language barriers, he was able to converse with and learn from Fleury throughout the evening.
“It’s an honor. It’s definitely a great honor for me to be a part of this memory of life and I’m grateful for it' moment," Murashov said. "I was a couple of times confused how to speak with him, but he’s a nice guy, he’s great, so it was pretty easy to figure out. So, overall, it was definitely a great night, great opportunity for me to learn and to watch him. Of course, we talked for a bit, but even just watching him is awesome."
Penguins Oust Blue Jackets On 'Fleury Night' In Pittsburgh
What a game, what a night, and what a player.
Fleury, 40, officially called it a career at the end of last season with the Minnesota Wild, and he signed a paid tryout (PTO) contract a few weeks ago to join the Penguins for one last practice and one last pre-season game - creating a storybook-type ending by coming full-circle on a long, successful career in and out of Pittsburgh.
He joined the Penguins for practice on Friday, and he also attended Saturday's morning skate ahead of the tilt against Columbus. It was only a few short days, but Murashov learned a lot from being around Fleury, even in that short time.
“Yeah, I asked a couple questions of him," Murashov said. "So, I will keep it with me. Like, maybe, 20 years later, I will say the same thing to another young guy. But, it’s precious for me.”
'I'm Happy It All Worked Out': Fleury, Teammates Relish Chance To Share Ice One Last Time
Normally, NHL training camp is an all-business kind of affair, and that's exactly how it's been at <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' camp this year.
Murashov was selected by the Penguins in the fourth round (118th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. He has been - in simple terms - dominant at pretty much every level he's played, and that includes a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) rookie record-breaking 11-game win streak. He posted a .913 save percentage in 15 AHL starts and a .922 save percentage for the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL last season, and that followed some remarkable play for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the MHL and KHL from 2021-24, when he never had a save percentage below .925.
His performance in training camp up to this point - as well as his track record - have led many to believe that he could be a long-term solution for the Penguins at the goaltending position, which has been a sore spot for the organization since their back-to-back Stanley Cup runs in 2016 and 2017. Murashov has a long way to go in terms of getting there, but the potential is more than evident.
"I really like him," Fleury said of Murashov. "He's a young goalie but still poised, and he's got some good abilities - how quick he is, how he can move, how he understands the game. He'll be very good for a long time.
In a lot of ways, having Murashov and Fleury take the net in the same game was poetic, as it offered a reflection of the past as well as a glimpse into the future at the position for the Penguins. Even the atmosphere itself had that kind of reflection, as the loud, sold-out house was simultaneously a relic of past success that involved future Hall-of-Fame players on the ice and a beacon of hope for the future with some of the young talent out there, too.
There are any number of lessons that Murashov could have taken from Fleury over the couple of days he spent with him, but more than anything, the Penguins' legend served as a reminder of why the young goaltender decided to play the game in the first place.
“Obviously, the best word to describe it is ‘inspiring,'" Murashov said. "It was really inspiring how he showed up in these last couple of days. There was huge energy on the ice, off-ice, from him. I think everyone got this feeling of joy, feeling of having fun, as he’ll be playing, he’ll be smiling.
"I think it’s a reminder to just enjoy what you’re doing.”
Marc-Andre Fleury Steals Show For Penguins On Saturday
It was Marc-Andre Fleury's night in Pittsburgh on Saturday as the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins </a>picked up their second preseason win. They beat the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> by three, 4-1, thanks to two goals from Rickard Rakell, one from Sidney Crosby, and one from Ville Koivunen.
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