Penguins’ Bryan Rust day-to-day with lower-body injury
Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust reportedly did not participate in practice with the team on Friday, and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Practice in Anaheim 🏒🌴
🐧Everyone is present except Bryan Rust who left the game last night with a lower-body injury.
🐧The team started practice doing nonstop rushes for 15 minutes from end to end which is not typical – almost like a hidden bag skate @SNPittsburgh pic.twitter.com/AaIPx8EwG3
Rust sustained the injury late in the second period of Thursday’s 5-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, and did not return to the game, with the Penguins confirming his absence at the start of the third period.
It’s unclear as to what caused the injury or the specifics of it, but we now know that it isn’t a major injury and Rust’s timeline is day-to-day. It’s still not known whether or not he’ll be available for Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken as well.
Rust had an assist on the Penguins lone goal in Thursday’s loss before his departure in 11:41 of ice time.
Rust has continued to produce close to his career-best rates this season, with 19 goals and 19 assists for 38 points in 43 games. While it wouldn’t be his best points-per-game rate in a season in his career, he’s currently on pace for 33 goals and 66 points assuming he doesn’t miss any more time, which would be career-highs due to the injuries that he’s suffered in his career.
Blake Lizotte would be the likely replacement for Rust in the lineup on Saturday, as he was scratched in Thursday’s game due to an illness, but was skating in practice on Friday. Lizotte has 8 goals and 4 assists for 12 points in 33 games played this season.
It’s unclear as to who will take Rust’s spot on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell, although Anthony Beauvillier got the most ice time alongside the duo in Thursday’s game after Rust’s departure.
The Penguins currently sit in seventh in the Metropolitan Division with a 20-22-8 record, and are five points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. They will look to bounce back from Thursday’s loss to the Ducks when they visit Seattle to take on the Kraken on Saturday at 4 p.m. EST.