STOCKHOLM — In a city flush with waterways and bays, it was fitting that the Pittsburgh Penguins (10-5-4) nearly boatraced the Nashville Predators (6-10-4) Sunday.

Following their disappointing effort Friday in an overtime loss to Nashville, Penguins coach Dan Muse shuffled the Penguins’ lines, while the team was immediately better, racing to a 3-0 lead in the first 10-plus minutes of the first period.

Instead of a blowout, the Penguins did well to make the game boring through the second and third periods, sailing to a 4-0 win over Nashville at Avicii Arena Sunday afternoon.

Blake Lizotte (3) scored the empty-netter.

Muse’s changes Sunday were emblematic of the sweeping change in effort and performance from Friday. The Penguins coach elevated hard-working Connor Dewar from the fourth line to the top trio with Sidney Crosby, reinstituting rookie Ben Kindel as the third line center.

Muse also put Kevin Hayes on the second line with Evgeni Malkin. All three moves paid dividends in the first period, especially Hayes and Kindel.

Throughout the first 20 minutes, the clapping of the Penguins passes from tape-to-tape echoed through the 13,000 fans. Early in the first, defenseman Parker Wotherspoon (2) earned credit for his second goal as a Penguin when his blue line wrist shot was deflected in traffic and bounced past Nashville goalie Juuse Saros at 2:19.

Credit the Swedish fans for being engaged, as a “Let’s Go Pittsburgh” chant broke out, complete with a slight Swedish accent.

The Penguins thoroughly dominated the first period, racing to an 8-1 shots advantage.

For the second time in two games, Malkin (5) scored a goal from behind the goal line, when he again banked the puck off defensemen in front of the net, lighting the lamp at 8:08.

Midway through the first period, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby stepped between Nashville’s clearing attempt and freedom. Crosby (12) quickly intercepted a clearing attempt, whipping it past Saros before most on the ice realized it at 10:13.

The Penguins outshot Nashville 11-2 in the first period, and 10 different Penguins had a shot on goal. Anthony Mantha was the only player from either team to have a second shot.

The second period was a bit of Surströmming (canned herring), that is to say, it stunk. Nashville outshot the Penguins 8-4, but failed to create extended offensive pressure. A few Penguins penalties, including a too many men on the ice during a penalty kill, spotted Nashville a 34-second 5v3, but Nashville registered just one shot over those four minutes, and even that was of medium danger.

In addition to Murashov, the Penguins’ penalty kill was one of the stories.

The choppy second period also featured Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves, who was involved in a few scrums, following a hard hit on Luke Evangelista near the Nashville bench.

Referees had to separate would-be Nashville pugilists from Graves a few times, but no penalties were issued.

Murashov made his second career start. The Penguins gave up a 2-0 lead in the third period last Sunday against the LA Kings in his first start. Murashov and the team made sure there wasn’t a repeat, as Murashov stopped all 22 shots for his first career win and shutout.

Attendance was 12,723. Capacity at the Avicii Arena is 13,800.

Penguins Notes

The new lines:

Connor Dewar-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Kevin Hayes-Evgeni Malkin-Anthony Mantha

Tommy Novak-Ben Kindel-Philip Tomasino

Joona Koppanen-Blake Lizotte-Danton Heinen

Before the game, Muse announced Ville Koivunen was out day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

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