Penguins defenseman Jan Rutta steps up with more minutes

There’s an everyman affability that shines through with Jan Rutta.

He seemingly greets just about everyone with “buddy.” And with a smile.

At the same time, he possesses an old school sternness as a hockey player.

Want to talk to him about advanced statistics? Good luck.

“I don’t even try to understand them,” the 32-year-old Czech defenseman says. He cites wins as the only metric he values.

And given the two Stanley Cup rings he won as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and ’21, he is something of an expert on that subject.

As of late, he has gotten a refresher in the form of a modest two-game winning streak he has helped piece together as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Rutta played a key role in the Penguins claiming their first lead of their most recent victory, a 5-4 comeback win at home against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.

After trailing by three goals, they went ahead with a score 7 minutes, 58 seconds into the second period.

And it started with a determined effort by Rutta.

During a four-on-four sequence, Canucks forward Ilya Mikheyev tried to skate a puck out of his own zone but was hounded relentlessly by Rutta, who steered Mikheyev toward the home bench. While Rutta lost his stick on the sequence, he put Mikheyev into a vulnerable position that allowed Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin to swoop in and steal the puck.

Gaining the offensive zone on the right wing with steam, Malkin left a drop pass for trailing linemate Jason Zucker. That maneuver created a two-on-one rush against Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who was unable to deny Zucker’s backhand pass that set up Malkin’s one-touch forehand shot from the left of the crease.

Zucker had the lone assist.

An argument could be made that Rutta deserved one, too.

But not from the statistically oblivious Rutta.

“I was just trying to backcheck really,” Rutta said. “I don’t get a lot of chances playing four-on-four. I was just trying to work as hard as I could.”

Rutta’s workload has increased a fair amount in the past five games as he has become the team’s top right-handed defenseman given the absence of fellow righties Kris Letang (family matters) and Jeff Petry (suspected left arm injury).

Over that span, Rutta has logged 19:52 of average ice time per contest. In contrast, he clocked 17:29 in his first 35 games of the season.

On Tuesday, he set a season-high with 22:26 on 28 shifts.

“He’s just giving us everything,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “We’re depleted back there just from an injury standpoint with some of the defensemen that we have out. … Everyone is playing more minutes and playing an elevated role. I just think he’s given us everything. He’s competing hard. He’s hard on pucks. He’s defending hard. I just can’t say enough about his work ethic.

“I just think he’s all in right now.”

In 40 games, Rutta has a modest seven points (three goals, four assists). He can’t replace the offensive attributes Letang and Petry offer, and he doesn’t argue otherwise.

“It’s just getting used to playing more minutes,” Rutta said. “I’m not going to play like those guys. I’m just trying to play like I normally play, just with more minutes.”

And preferably, with the only stat he claims to care about.

“I’m happy that we got two (consecutive) wins now,” Rutta said. “Life is much, much nicer when you’re winning.”

Notes: Defenseman Mark Friedman was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. … Goaltender Tristan Jarry and Ryan Poehling were placed on injured reserve because of undisclosed ailments. … The Penguins had a scheduled day off Wednesday.

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