PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The season started with three team legends and a pair of teenagers on the ice, but it was a goalie who came over in a little thought of trade that was the number one star. Arturs Silovs stopped all 25 shots in a 3-0 Pens win in New York.
The Pens acquired the 24-year-old Silovs from Vancouver in July for a late-round pick and minor-league player. He was spectacular and only the second Pens goalie to win in a shutout in his debut. Last year Silovs started nine games in the NHL with a 3.65 goals against average and .861 save percentage. In his last three starts last season, Silovs gave up 15 goals.
He also got Dan Muse a win in his coaching debut, beating two-time Pens Stanley Cup champion Mike Sullivan in his first game with the Rangers.
Muse had Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin with first-round pick Ben Kindel as the forwards with Kris Letang and Harrison Brunicke on the blue line to begin the game Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. Crosby, Malkin and Letang starting a 20th season together having combined to play 3,729 games in black and gold.
It was Malkin with the only points of the three, he fought through a faceoff in the offensive zone to get the puck ahead to Justin Brazeau, who lifted with a nifty shot right in front of Igor Shesterkin to give the Pens a 1-0 lead. Brazeau had one goal in his last 37 games last season.
Silvos and the skaters in front of him played with poise and detail throughout the game allowing New York few chances and then late in the game, a pair of empty net goals. Brazeau got one with two minutes to play, also on an assist from Malkin who moved within one point of Mats Sundin for 30th place on the NHL all-time points list. Then Blake Lizotte fired an empty-netter from behind the defensive blue line to make it 3-0.
Line combinations
Beyond the opening shift, the Pens lines on opening night
Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Ville Koivunen
Anthony Mantha-Evgeni Malkin-Justin Brazeau
Tommy Novak-Ben Kindel-Philip Tomasino
Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari
Ryan Shea-Kris Letang
Parker Wotherspoon-Erik Karlsson
Caleb Jones-Harrison Bruinicke
Thursday night the Pens and New York Islanders play the first game at PPG Paints Arena this year at 7p.