Could an errant puck change the goaltending future for Sergei Murashov and the Penguins?
ELMONT, NY - MARCH 30: New York Islanders Left Wing Anders Lee (27) scores a goal on Pittsburgh Penguins Goalie Arturs Silovs (37) during the second period of the National Hockey League game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders on March 30, 2026, at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Stuart Skinner was sitting on the bench, serving as the back for Saturday’s game against the Panthers when a puck left the playing area and struck him in the face. It caused damage near his left eye to the point where he couldn’t play as scheduled on Sunday after swelling set in, as seen in the team’s post-game video from the lockerroom after Sunday’s win.
For what it's worth, Stuart Skinner did have an abrasion near his left eye after yesterday's game: https://t. co/gYgCR8flcW pic. twitter.
com/CGp3DyJwHq — Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) April 5, 2026 Skinner’s unexpected malady meant trouble for the Penguins in the short term – they physically couldn’t get their top AHL goalie Sergei Murashov to Pittsburgh to join the team in time for the Sunday afternoon game, following Wilkes-Barre playing at Lehigh Valley on Saturday night themselves. For a short-term patch the Pens played Arturs Silovs a second-straight day and had ECHL goalie Taylor Gauthier serve as the backup, since it was easier to make the quick 60-mile jaunt from Wheeling to Pittsburgh. The longer-term ramifications of that random, errant puck on Saturday could have bigger impacts.
The Pens are off until Thursday, giving Skinner time to heal up. Silovs can always take the net on Thursday and if Skinner is good to go for the following game on Saturday against Washington, the incident could fade away as a minor footnote. There’s another path available as well, as seen from this morning’s transaction to officially call up Murashov from the AHL.
The Penguins were off yesterday after playing a ridiculous 20 games in 36 days, they’ll return to practice today, presumably with a new goalie out there. Goaltender Sergei Murashov has been recalled from the @WBSPenguins (AHL). Goaltender Taylor Gauthier has been re-assigned to WBS.
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