If not for an injury sustained during the Penguins’ season finale on April 9, Matt Murray might have been the Pittsburgh’s Game 1 starter. He’s in between the pipes tonight though for Game 3 against the New York Rangers.
Although it looked like Jeff Zatkoff would start in his third straight 2016 playoff contest tonight based on the morning skate, the Penguins ultimately went with the 21-year-old Murray.
Matt Murray tonight becomes the youngest goaltender ever to start a playoff game for the Pens. He turns 22 next month.
— Bob Grove (@bobgrove91) April 19, 2016
What the rookie goalie lacks in experience, he makes up for in promise. Murray was a dominant force in the AHL and in 13 starts with Pittsburgh this season, he posted a 2.00 GAA and .930 save percentage.
During his and Marc-Andre Fleury’s absence, Zatkoff stepped up in Game 1 against the Rangers by turning aside 35 of 37 shots. However, Zatkoff allowed four goals on 28 shots in Game 2 as New York evened the series.