Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final was about as good a goaltending duel as it gets. Artur Ahktyamov and Sergei Murashov battled it out with big save after big save. Murashov made 37 saves for the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, giving them a chance to win the game in overtime. Ahkyamov made 39 to give the Marlies the 2-1 victory and clinch their spot in the Calder Cup Final. 

In this battle, Ahktyamov had the edge. He made the bigger saves and made some impressive stops where he went from one end of the crease to the other, while also holding his own in the crease despite the Penguins' best efforts to rattle him. While he didn’t find the back of the net in the overtime period, he was the star of the night and arguably the star of the series for the Marlies. 

Ahktyamov and Murashov battled throughout the series. The American Hockey League is a glimpse into the future, as the NHL’s top development league that’s preparing prospects for the next level. This series and this goaltending duel are a preview of what’s to come with both young goalies primed for the NHL, where they’ll meet again for some great duels. 

The Eastern Conference Final was back and forth. The Marlies took the first two games on the road, and the Penguins responded with two road victories to even it up. Then the Marlies took Game 5 on their home ice with a decisive 5-1 win and closed things out with a 2-1 overtime victory on the road in Game 6. 

Throughout the series, both goaltenders battled. “It’s two great teams and two great goaltenders,” Kirk MacDonald stated after Game 2, which applied to the entire series. Yet, when it came down to the wire, Ahktamov came out on top. In three of the six starts, he allowed only one goal and shut down a Penguins offense that averaged over 3.1 goals per game this season. 

Murashov had the better season, with a .919 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.20 goals-against average (GAA), while Ahktyamov had a .904 SV% and a 2.88 GAA. However, in the playoffs, Ahktyamov had that clutch factor and won games when it mattered most. 

At the AHL level, this was the equivalent of Andrei Vasilevskiy against Sergei Bobrovsky. Both Russian goaltenders are exceptional, and one has the better regular-season accolades while the other is better, at least recently, in the playoffs. In a big series or a must-win game, the goaltender teams want in the net is the one who can flip that switch and shut teams down. Both can, yet Ahkyamov plays at another level, and it’s what the Marlies are experiencing in this deep playoff run. 

This series displayed what both goaltenders can become in the NHL someday. They are young goaltenders on the rise and, more importantly, play the position the way NHLers do. They are athletic but don’t rely solely on their athleticism. They have the technical ability and read the play to handle the puck movement and offenses at the next level. 

It’s hard to compare AHL goaltenders to NHL ones. However, both share similar traits to some of the best. Murashov looks a lot like Jeremy Swayman, not just with how he plays but how he conducts himself off the ice as someone players and fans can naturally gravitate towards. Ahktyamov has a similar height and weight to Igor Shesterkin but doesn’t have the same skillset. Instead, it’s his glove that will allow him to thrive at the next level, something he showcased throughout the series. 

Fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Pittsburgh Penguins who have watched the Calder Cup Playoffs will want their prospects on the NHL teams. The plan to call them up isn’t straightforward. 

Murashov is the next in line if the Penguins move on from Stuart Skinner, as he can split starts with Arturs Silovs, another goaltender who is fresh off an impressive AHL run that features a Calder Cup title. Akhyamov’s path to the NHL is more complicated because he still must prove he can take on an NHL-level workload, and the Maple Leafs have Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll on the roster, with Dennis Hildeby also on the AHL team. So, it’s unlikely they’ll be in the NHL right away but they will be soon, and they are developing into two greats who can be at the top of the league for years. 

The goaltending highlighted the matchup between the Marlies and the Penguins. Both are great and might be for a long time. The two Russians also have great respect for one another. 

The goaltending would highlight the matchup. Both are great and might be for a long time. The two Russians also have great respect for one another. They both met at the AHL All-Star Game and understand that they’ll face each other plenty of times in the future. 

This rivalry can be taken a step further in relation to the two teams. The Marlies and Penguins proved in this matchup that they have great prospects throughout their lineups who will be key parts of their NHL teams in the future. 

The Maple Leafs and the Penguins aren’t rivals by nature. Yet, looking ahead, they might bump into each other in a few meaningful regular-season games and maybe in a playoff round or two. And it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Easton Cowan, Rutger McGroarty, William Villeneuve, or Harrison Brunicke made a difference in any of those games.