Murashov Shares Exchange With Flames Goaltender Devin Cooley

Sergei Murashov might have a new friend to greet when the Penguins play the visiting Calgary Flames later this month.

Murashov shouted out Flames netminder Devin Cooley, who has gone viral for postgame interviews in which he has offered thoughts on the psychology behind goaltending, after the Penguins’ Saturday win at the Los Angeles Kings.

“I want to pass a media message to Devin Cooley. I saw he was really popular recently, and I think most of the goalies going through something like he’s talking about, but not a lot who actually speaks aloud. So thank you to him for what he’s saying. It helps. It genuinely just helped me a little bit too,” Murashov said Saturday.

Cooley was then asked about Murashov’s comments after the Flames claimed an overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers the following day.

“I heard about it from multiple people telling me. I heard it was awesome,” Cooley said Sunday. “I’ve gotten messages from other guys in the league that have reached out, too. I’m like, ‘Man, that’s really cool.’”

He laughed, “I’m glad I can do something instead of just play a sport, because that doesn’t really make a huge impact on humanity.”

Cooley added Monday he had gotten a chance to watch Murashov’s interview and that it would “be great to meet him,” per CalgaryFlames.com’s Chris Wahl.

Cooley went viral last month when he said in an interview he “felt nothing” during a 34-save win against the Carolina Hurricanes.

“The problem with me is that I have a lot of fun playing, but when I start having too much fun it makes me from an unconscious goalie to a conscious goalie,” Cooley explained. “And my conscious brain is really bad at playing goalie, so I have to let my unconscious brain do the work, because it reacts a lot quicker.”

Murashov has been put in a tough situation for his first season as a full-time NHLer. He has been regularly shelled (Murashov ranks 16th in shots against per 60 minutes) behind a defense that has given up the fourth-most high-danger shots in the NHL so far this season, per MoneyPuck.

The Penguins will hope Cooley’s insight can help their rookie goaltender adjust to that demanding workload as his team looks to bounce back from their ongoing 1-4-1 stretch over the five games remaining before a Nov. 25 matchup against Cooley and the visiting Flames.