Penguins forward Bryan Rust sidelined on 'week-to-week' basis
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust will be sidelined on a “week-to-week” basis because of an undisclosed injury.
Coach Mike Sullivan announced Rust’s status after an optional morning skate Tuesday in Cranberry.
Rust was injured during a 4-3 road loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
In eight games this season, Rust, typically deployed on the right wing of the top line, has four points (three goals, one assist) while averaging 19 minutes, 20 seconds of ice time per contest.
A different undisclosed ailment landed Rust on injured reserve to open the season and sidelined him two games.
Notes:
• Rookie goaltender Joel Blomqvist is scheduled to start Tuesday’s home game against the Minnesota Wild, according to Sullivan.
In five games this season, Blomqvist has a 2-3-0 record, a 3.34 goals-against average and .911 save percentage.
• Those who participated in the optional morning skate included:
Forwards – Anthony Beauvillier, Cody Glass, Kevin Hayes, Blake Lizotte, Evgeni Malkin, Matt Nieto, Vasily Ponomarev, Jesse Puljujarvi, Valtteri Puustinen
Defensemen – Ryan Graves, Ryan Shea, Jack St. Ivany
Goaltenders – Blomqvist, Alex Nedeljkovic
• Lizotte (concussion) remains designated to injured reserve, and Nieto (left knee) is designated to long-term injured reserve.
Ponomarev is designated to the injured non-roster list as a result of a suspected left shoulder injury he suffered during the preseason.
Sullivan indicated Lizotte, Nieto and Ponomarev are progressing in their recoveries.
• Former Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is slated to start Tuesday’s contest. In two games this season, Fleury has a 1-0-1 record, a 2.89 goals against average and a .900 save percentage.
In nine career games against the Penguins, Fleury has a 5-4-0 record with a 3.05 goals against average, a .906 save percentage and one shutout.
• Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon is expected to rejoin the lineup after missing six games due to an undisclosed injury.
In two games this season, Spurgeon has one assist while averaging 19:35 of ice time.
• With Spurgeon on the verge of returning, the Wild assigned defenseman Daemon Hunt to Iowa of the American Hockey League.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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