The Pittsburgh Penguins got a key contributor back on the ice Tuesday evening against the visiting New York Rangers.

Forward Jason Zucker, who had missed the Penguins’ recent road trip to Florida and Carolina with an unspecified lower-body injury, was included in the lineup for the first time since Dec. 12, reassuming his place at left wing on Evgeni Malkin’s second line.

Zucker, who has six goals with 14 assists in 27 games played, got dinged up eight days ago when the Penguins (18-9-4) hosted the Dallas Stars.

Although Zucker registered assists on both goals in the Penguins’ 2-1 victory, at the team’s ensuing practice Dec. 14 at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, coach Mike Sullivan relayed that he would be out week-to-week.

Thankfully for the Penguins, and despite the ominous possibility of Zucker being sidelined into the New Year, the 30-year-old wound up only having to miss two games.

Zucker practiced with the Penguins on Monday and was listed as a game-time decision Tuesday morning by Sullivan following the team’s optional morning skate.

With Zucker back in the lineup, the Penguins bumped Danton Heinen, who had skated with Malkin and Bryan Rust in his absence, down to right wing on the fourth line with Teddy Blueger and Ryan Poehling.

Josh Archibald was unavailable Tuesday due to an undisclosed injury.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)