What a way to ruin a night.

Bryan Rust scored a goal again Tuesday night against the New York Islanders. That’s his seventh in 10 games this season.

The Penguins winger nearly assisted on another one before it was waved off for offsides.

He was a genuine offensive presence all evening. Especially on the power play, where he scored. Rust was on his way to being a part of a sixth win in 10 games since he rejoined the team following a preseason injury. He has tallied at least one point in eight of those games.

Then the penalty happened.

Rust got busted for a questionable tripping call at the 13:37 mark of the third period while the Penguins were up 4-2.

“First I lifted his stick, then we got tangled up and fell,” Rust said. “The ref thought I tripped him. And I strongly disagree. Terrible call. Terrible.”

New York scored four seconds after the penalty expired. They would score again with an extra attacker on the ice with 1:32 left to force overtime.

That’s where they won, 5-4, on Brock Nelson’s second goal of the game.

“We were good. But down the stretch they were a little hungrier than we were. They turned it up a notch, and we didn’t match it,” Rust said.

Hunger was something that apparently some people questioned with Rust last year. When general manager Jim Rutherford went on his rant in November 2018 about the Penguins getting too complacent after two straight Stanley Cups, many assumed Rust was one of those Rutherford was referencing.

After all, he had just been rewarded with a four-year, $14 million contract the previous June. And he had just one goal and five points before November 12 of last year.

Whether Rutherford meant that or not, it was a narrative I didn’t echo.

I saw a good player going through a horrid slump.

By season’s end, Rust ended up with 18 goals and 35 points and often looked like the player we remembered from those two Cup runs.

So far that has carried over to start this season.

“Rusty had some good moments,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of Rust’s game Tuesday night. “He’s finding the back of the net. He’s been a good player for us.”

Rust didn’t want that spin after his penalty helped deflate last night’s game, however.

“This game is going to leave a sour taste in our mouth,” Rust grumbled.

Well, if negative reinforcement perhaps led to motivation last year, maybe a negative call will further inspire him now.

Rust gets a chance to right that perceived wrong immediately with a return match against the Islanders Thursday.

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