Penguins' Tristan Jarry, Bryan Rust expected to be available against Sabres

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Bryan Rust are each expected to be available for their team’s lineup entering Wednesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres at PPG Paints Arena.

Coach Dan Muse suggested both players will be able-bodied enough to suit up for the contest following a practice in Cranberry on Tuesday.

Jarry is currently on injured reserve due to an undisclosed injury he suffered Nov. 3. During Tuesday’s practice, he was heavily involved in most of the team’s drills along with fellow rookie goaltender Arturs Silovs. In contrast, another rookie goaltender, Sergei Murashov, was largely relegated to a reserve role.

Should Jarry be formally activated from injured reserve, Murashov will presumably be assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. With a limited amount of service time as a professional, Murashov does not require exposure to waivers for an assignment to a minor league affiliate.

In seven games this season, Jarry has a 5-2-0 record, a 2.60 goals-against average, a .911 save percentage and one shutout.

By policy, the Penguins do not identify their starting goaltender until the day of a game, but the team has largely platooned almost every other start this season.

Rust was not present at practice for the second consecutive day due to an undisclosed illness.

Muse indicated Rust will undergo further evaluation but is expected to be available Wednesday.

Typically stationed on the right wing of the top line and the top power-play unit, Rust is the team’s third-leading scorer with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) while averaging 20:09 of ice time per contest.

Notes:

• Muse stopped short of saying rookie forward Ville Koivunen is expected to be back in the lineup Wednesday after missing the past three games due to an undisclosed injury. But he expressed optimism over the possibility.

Currently designated to injured reserve, Koivunen operated on the left wing of the third line during Wednesday’s practice and skated with the second-power-play unit.

In 11 games this season, Koivunen has two assists while clocking an average of 12:34 of ice time per contest.

• The team’s lines and pairings were:

19 Connor Dewar – 87 Sidney Crosby – 81 Ben Kindel

13 Kevin Hayes – 71 Evgeni Malkin – 39 Anthony Mantha

41 Ville Koivunen – 26 Tristan Broz – 18 Tommy Novak

15 Joona Koppanen – 46 Blake Lizotte – 43 Danton Heinen

28 Parker Wotherspoon – 65 Erik Karlsson

5 Ryan Shea – 58 Kris Letang

27 Ryan Graves – 24 Matt Dumba

Rookie forward Sam Poulin (No. 22) operated on a fourth defensive pairing with defenseman Connor Clifton (No. 75)

• The top power-play unit included Crosby, Karlsson, Kindel, Malkin and Mantha. The second power-play unit involved Hayes, Heinen, Koivunen, Letang and Novak.

Prior to practice, forwards Noel Acciari (undisclosed), Justin Brazeau (undisclosed) and Filip Hallander (blood clot) skated. All three are designated to injured reserve.