Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust is expected to return to his team’s lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning after missing the previous two contests due to an undisclosed injury.
Rust indicated he anticipates being available, while coach Dan Muse said final medical clearance is pending.
During a morning skate in Cranberry, Rust was a full participant and “looked good out there,” according to Muse.
Typically stationed on the right wing of the top line, Rust is the team’s second-leading scorer with 36 points (16 goals, 20 assists) in 40 games this season.
Also a fixture on the top power-play unit and the penalty killer, Rust has averaged 20:16 of ice time per contest in 2025-26.
Notes:
• Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson will be sidelined a minimum of two weeks due to an undisclosed injury. He was placed on injured reserve.
• Penguins rookie goaltender Silovs is scheduled to start Tuesday’s game. In 20 games this season, Silovs has an 8-6-6 record, a 3.18 goals-against average, an .886 save percentage and one shutout.
Silovs has faced the Lightning once in his career. As a member of the Vancouver Canucks, he made 23 saves on 26 shots in a 4-1 road loss, Oct. 15, 2024.
• The Penguins’ lines and pairings during Tuesday’s morning skate:
67 Rickard Rakell – 87 Sidney Crosby – 17 Bryan Rust
71 Evgeni Malkin – 18 Tommy Novak – 59 Yegor Chinakhov
39 Anthony Mantha – 81 Ben Kindel – 16 Justin Brazeau
19 Connor Dewar – 46 Blake Lizotte – 55 Noel Acciari
77 Brett Kulak – 58 Kris Letang
28 Parker Wotherspoon – 3 Jack St. Ivany
5 Ryan Shea – 75 Connor Clifton
• The top power-play unit included Crosby, Letang, Malkin, Rakell and Rust. The second power-play unit included Brazeau, Chinakhov, Kindel, Kulak and Mantha.
• Forwards Tristan Broz and Kevin Hayes, as well as defenseman Ryan Graves, operated as reserves.
Broz, a rookie, and Graves were recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Tuesday, while forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
• The Lightning did not stage a morning skate after traveling overnight following a 5-1 road win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.
• The scheduled referees are Chris Rooney (No. 5) and Furman South (No. 13), while the linesmen are Shawn Oliver (No. 66) and Jesse Marquis (No. 86).
