Penguins lose to Kings in goaltender Sergei Murashov's debut
Penguins rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov is still getting used to his surroundings in Pittsburgh (and America, for that matter).
So, if the 21-year-old Russian wasn’t completely certain that the local football squad was playing at night on Sunday, he can be forgiven.
He was just grateful for the enthusiastic reception he received when he took to the ice for his NHL debut during a 3-2 home loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday afternoon.
“I felt it, and truly appreciate it, everyone who came to the building today instead of watching (the) Steelers,” the charming Murashov said. “I know it’s a game today.
“It’s a great building, great city, great people here. So, I truly appreciate that.”
That adoration was mutual as the highly intriguing prospect was cheered upon being formally announced as the starting goaltender, then drew roars with a handful of athletic toe saves or technically proficient denials with his glove.
— EN Videos (@ENVideos19) November 9, 2025
In total, Murashov stopped 24 of 27 shots in a come-from-ahead loss. The Kings wound up scoring a pair of goals in the third period to claim victory.
“We had some good shifts still in the third,” Penguins forward Tommy Novak said. “But a couple of plays where we didn’t have enough guys back. And they’re good off the rush and executed well. Had a couple of breakdowns.”
Novak opened the scoring with his second goal of the season 8 minutes, 48 seconds into regulation.
Settling a puck at the right point of the offensive zone, Penguins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon maneuvered up the near board while fending off Kings forward Joel Armia. Pulling up on the half-wall, Wotherspoon turned to his leftand offloaded the puck to on-rushing Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin in the left circle. As Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson offered limited resistance, Malkin flicked a backhanded pass to the front of the crease, where Novak was stationed. As Kings defenseman Drew Doughty tried to hogtie him to the ice, Novak was able to shuffle in a forehand shot by goaltender Darcy Kuemper’s right skate. Malkin and Wotherspoon had assists.
Tommy Novak opens the scoring!#LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/OeQN6XI3vy
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) November 9, 2025
“It’s just a great pass,” Novak said. “I just tried to fight for the net-front positioning. Right on my tape, a perfect pass.”
The contest was tied at 14:58 of the first period when Kings forward Anze Kopitar — a 20-year veteran who is retiring after this season and was preumably making his final visit to Pittsburgh — scored his second goal during a power-play sequence.
Fighting off a check from Penguins forward Blake Lizotte at the left point of the offensive zone, Kings forward Kevin Fiala fed the puck along the wall to the near corner for Kopitar. With a lot of space and few passing options, Kopitar simply snapped a bad-angle wrister to the crease, and the puck wound up glancing off of Wotherspoon’s stick, then hitting off the inside of Murashov’s left leg before deflecting into the cage. Fiala and forward Corey Perry procured assists.
Anže Kopitar's (2) pass is deflected in goal by a Penguins' stick for a power play goal.
Assists:
Kevin Fiala (5)
Corey Perry (4)#GoKingsGo #LetsGoPens #PITvsLAK pic.twitter.com/zh4LCbQavF— LA Royalty (@LARoyalty1967) November 9, 2025
Penguins forward Anthony Mantha scored his eighth goal at 7:48 of the second period during a power-play sequence to restore a lead.
Off the left half-wall of the offensive zone, Penguins rookie forward Ville Koivunen fed the puck to the high slot, where Mantha one-touched a backhanded pass through his legs to the right point. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang accepted the pass, waited a moment for Kopitar to apply pressure, then slipped the puck back to Mantha, who pumped a wrister from the left hashmarks through Kuemper’s five hole. Letang and Koivunen collected assists.
Mama, there goes that Man(tha)
Anthony Mantha scores his 8th goal of the season! pic.twitter.com/WeydKK8TGy
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) November 9, 2025
Perry tied the score again with his team-leading seventh goal at 4:49 of the third period.
Chasing down a puck chipped out of the defensive zone, Kings forward Trevor Moore recovered it at the center red line, then gained the offensive blue line on the left wing before centering a pass to former Penguins defenseman Cody Ceci. After Ceci left a drop pass and drove the slot against Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea, Perry took the puck and used the combined screen of Ceci and Shea to fire a wrister by Murashov’s blocker. Ceci and Moore recorded assists.
Corey Perry (7) ties it up on the rush off a feed from Cody Ceci.
Assists:
Cody Ceci (3)
Trevor Moore (2)#GoKingsGo #LetsGoPens #PITvsLAK pic.twitter.com/fhLs9X2LzN— LA Royalty (@LARoyalty1967) November 9, 2025
Fiala supplied the visitors with their first lead of the contest with his seventh goal at 11:52 of the third frame.
Off a stretch pass from the defensive zone by Doughty, Fiala entered the Penguins’ zone on the right wing. Challenging Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson one-on-one, Fiala deked past him in the right circle and attacked the cage. Skating across the front of the blue paint, Fiala roofed a wrister over the glove of a sprawling Murashov. Doughty and forward Alex Laferriere logged assists.
#Kings 3 @ #Penguins 2 [P3–8:08]:
Goal: Kevin Fiala (7)
8’ Lead-Taking Doorstep WristerAssists: D.Doughty (4), A.Laferriere (4)#GoKingsGo #LetsGoPens #NHL pic.twitter.com/380LhjSgJG
— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalsVideo) November 9, 2025
“We got away from some of the defensive details that are important,” coach Dan Muse said. “You look at the chances and what we gave up. And I think we need to do a better job of generating five on five. It’s both sides of it. We didn’t get done there (today).”
The outcome was hardly what anyone with a vested interest in the Penguins would prefer, particularly considering the team has lost four out of its past five games (1-3-1).
But Murashov’s otherwise sturdy performance provided a small cause to celebrate in his new hometown.
“Obviously, it’s not the result I wanted, we wanted,” Murashov said. “Yes, it’s a special night for me, but at the end of the day, all I’m wanting is just to get two points for the team.
“But it’s a good lesson. We will learn from it and keep getting stronger. And me personally.”
Notes:
• Murashov became the 23rd player to wear No. 1 in a game of consequence for the Penguins.
His predecessors via PittsburghHockey.net:
Hank Bassen, Joe Daley, Paul Hoganson, Cam Newton, Roy Edwards, Jim Rutherford, Bob Johnson, Gord Laxton, Denis Herron, Richard Harrison, Steve Guenette, Pat Riggin, Wendell Young, Rob Dobson, Peter Skudra, Rich Parent, Johan Hedberg, John Curry, Brent Johnson, Thomas Greiss, Mike Condon, Casey DeSmith
• Penguins defensemen Matt Dumba and Harrison Brunicke, as well as forward Philip Tomasino, were healthy scratches.
-The Penguins enjoyed their second sellout of the season (and second consecutive overall). On Sunday, the listed attendance was 18,343.
• Kopitar’s goal was his first in 14 career games in Pittsburgh.
• Perry (40 years, 177 days) is the first 40-something to score against the Penguins since Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara (45 years, 27 days) did in a 6-3 win by the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on April 14, 2022.
Chara's first goal as an Islander since... Jan 12 2001 ???? pic.twitter.com/4N54IWw2nf
— Isles on MSGSN (@IslesMSGN) April 15, 2022
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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