Matt Murray records 11th career shutout

Matt Murray (Michael Miller, Wikimedia Commons)

Matt Murray of Thunder Bay, Ontario recorded his 11th National Hockey League career shutout and first of the 2019-20 regular season on Saturday. Murray made 25 saves as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Dallas Stars 3-0 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

Throughout the 60 minutes of action, Murray made 12 saves in the first period, 10 saves in the second period and only three saves in the third period. Russian defenseman Denis Gurianov led the Stars with four shots on goal.

Of the three Penguins goal scorers in the game, one was a Canadian, as left winger Brandon Tanev of Toronto, Ontario scored his third of the season from Jake Guentzel and Teodors Blugers at 18:46 of the third period into an empty net. Bryan Rust and Dominik Kahun scored the other goals for Pittsburgh.

On the season, Murray now has a record of six wins and three losses in nine games. He has a goals against average of 2.33 and a save percentage of .918.

Also this season, Murray picked up his fourth career National Hockey League assist. It came on a goal by Canadian Olympic gold medalist Sidney Crosby in a 7-4 Penguins win over the Minnesota Wild on October 12. Crosby won a gold medal for Canada in men’s hockey at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

The Penguins are in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of seven wins and five losses for 14 points. They are five points back of the division leading Washington Capitals.

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