BUFFALO, N.Y. – The news was good for Bryan Rust, bad for Zach Aston-Reese and status quo for Kris Letang and Olli Maatta as Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan gave an injury update Thursday afternoon.

Rust made the trip to Buffalo with the team and participated in morning skate in a non-contact capacity Thursday. Rust has been out since suffering a lower-body injury Feb. 26 in Columbus.

“We brought Rusty on the trip because he’s getting close and we wanted to get him around the team, get him in the practices,” Sullivan said. “He’s feeling really good. Obviously he’s in a non-contact jersey, but his status is day to day and he’s getting close.”

Aston-Reese suffered a lower-body injury last Sunday against Boston. Sullivan originally characterized Aston-Reese’s status as day to day, but he said Thursday that was a mistake on his part. Aston-Reese won’t need surgery and he is expected to return this season, but he’ll be out longer term.

Letang and Maatta, meanwhile, stayed home in Pittsburgh to skate with skills coach Ty Hennes.

Letang has been out since Feb. 23 with an upper-body injury and Maatta has been out since Feb. 11 with a shoulder injury.

“They’re making progress,” Sullivan said.

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