With incumbent goaltender Stuart Skinner’s health uncertain, the Pittsburgh Penguins recalled goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Tuesday.
In a corresponding transaction, goaltender Taylor Gauthier was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Skinner suffered an apparent facial injury on Saturday. While serving as the backup goaltender and sitting on the bench during a 9-4 home win against the Florida Panthers, Skinner suffered an abrasion near his left eye.
The team has not provided substantive details as to his status, but he was scratched due to the injury on Sunday for a 5-2 home win against the Panthers.
Murashov, 22, made his NHL debut earlier this season. Appearing in five NHL contests, he posted a 1-1-2 record, a 2.56 goals-against average and an .897 save percentage.
His most recent NHL game was a 5-4 home overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth on Dec. 14. He made 32 saves on 37 shots in that contest.
An All-Star at the AHL level, Murashov has appeared in 35 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season and has a 23-8-3 record, a 2.13 goals-against average, a .922 save percentage and three shutouts.
Murashov is in the second year of a three-year contract with a salary cap hit of $861,110.
Gauthier, 25, was recalled to the NHL roster for the first time in his four-year NHL career on Sunday to serve as the backup to rookie Arturs Silovs. With Skinner’s status not being determined until Sunday morning, the team recalled Gauthier, as he was stationed with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL and required a shorter drive to get to Pittsburgh than Murashov.
In 33 ECHL games this season, Gauthier has a 20-7-5 record, a 2.00 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage and three shutouts.
Gauthier is signed to a one-year, two-way contract with a salary cap hit of $775,000.