PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Among the Pens questions coming into the season was goaltending, Sunday a second shutout by Arturs Silovs helped by a responsible defense led to a 5-0 win.
Silovs stopped 22 shots and has allowed only one goal in his two starts.
“He’s so competitive,” said Pens head coach Dan Muse. “He puts in the work every day. When you see the behind-the-scenes with him, and I would say the same thing with Stu (Stuart Skinner), it’s not a surprise that things are moving in the right direction.”
“It’s always a team effort,” Silovs said. “There are always a lot of second, third efforts from the guys, battling fighting. Getting the blocks that we need. I felt pretty comfortable in the crease.”
Defensemen Connor Clifton and Parker Wotherspoon assisted in the shutout, Clifton helping block an open net as Silovs got back in the play and Wotherspoon with a full out diving extension getting his stick on a puck in the crease.
“It’s the character he’s shown to continue to work on his game and continue to build,” said forward Bryan Rust. “He’s been fantastic for us lately.”
Scoring
Pens led 1-0 after the first on a Ben Kindel goal, his 15th of the season. Egor Chinahkov in the slot made it 2-0 in the second followed up by a Bryan Rust power play goal, his 20th of the season and then a rebound in front by Rickard Rakell to make it 4-0 heading into the third. Justin Brazeau’s 16th finished the scoring.
Pens rebounded from a 3-2 shootout loss at the Rangers and sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.
New Pens lead NHL
With the goals by Kindel, Brazeau and Chinakhov Sunday, according to Penguins PR, the team has 73 goals this season by players in their first year with the team, which ranks first in the NHL.
Up Next
Pens are in Boston on Tuesday and then back home Thursday against Buffalo before a weekend home games against Philadelphia and the Bruins.