Rust settles in with the latest move back to the 2nd line
Right winger swapping spots often with Rakell
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Going into the season, coach Mike Sullivan anticipated he’d be flip-flopping Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust back and forth.
After the Penguins’ Monday afternoon workout at Toyota Sports Performance Center, the Los Angeles Kings’ practice facility in El Segundo, Sullivan discussed the fluidity of where in the lineup he positions Rakell and
Rust, each of whom has spent plenty of time on Pittsburgh’s first and second lines this season.
“They’re both really good players — they’re just different,” Sullivan said. “Depending on how our team is playing, certain lines are playing — we talk a lot as a coaching staff going into games and even during games depending on how we think the game is going–we’ll make adjustments accordingly.
“They bring something different to the lines that they’re on.”
After the NHL’s All-Star break, Sullivan elected to bump Rust back down to the second line while elevating Rakell to the first group.
Although Rakell has yet to log a point in the three games while skating skated with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel, Rust has two goals and an assist during the same time period.
Rust said it’s been fun to be reconnected with Jason Zucker and Evgeni Malkin, who both have tallied assists on the winger’s February goals.
“Zuck’s a guy who I’ve played with and known for a very long time and I think we play fairly similar games, so it’s good to just be out there with him,” Rust said. “And obviously, Geno makes so many plays, he can make so many things happen that it’s a fun line to be on.”
Among the plays made possible by Malkin that Rust alluded to was a clutch (and somewhat fluky) game-tying goal in the Penguins’ come-from-behind 2-1 overtime defeat of the Colorado Avalanche.
After a brilliant individual effort by Zucker, Malkin kept the play alive and flung the puck toward
Rust, who reaped the benefits of his linemate’s play.
Rust had a more traditional goal of the backhanded variety late in the Penguins’ 6-3 win against the Anaheim Ducks. The two scores in back-to-back games were in stark contrast to the majority of Rust’s season.
A 20-goal scorer each of the past three campaigns while playing in 60 games or fewer, Rust has 13 scores this year despite having not missed a game. There’ve been three separate occasions when Rust has scored in back-to-back games, but more often than not, goalless droughts have followed.
Albeit in a small sample size of just three games, the second line of Zucker, Malkin and Rust has done a solid job at generating more scoring chances for than against. Per Natural Stat Trick, that trio has been expected to score 0.29 goals more than the Penguins would allow while they’re on the ice in the month of February.
During this season, the Zucker-Malkin-Rust line has a wide margin in favor of expected goals, too. If Sullivan chooses to keep intact this line that he started the season with, it would simultaneously benefit the first unit as well, which statistically speaking operates at its best with Rakell alongside Guentzel and
Crosby.
In something of a down season for Rust, perhaps his latest shift back to the second group can propel him to a stronger final 30 regular-season games than his relatively quiet first 52.
“Being on a line you’re comfortable with does breed a certain sense of confidence, especially a line we’ve had success with in the past. We seem to be in the offensive zone a lot, getting a lot of chances,” Rust said. “Obviously, we probably haven’t scored as much as we’d like. But I think if we continue to play that way and play in the offensive zone and carry that confidence over, I think all of us individually and as a line are going to have a good finish.”
Around the rink
Every Penguins player on the road trip aside from Mark Friedman worked out with the team for its Monday practice at the Kings’ facility. Two days removed from replacing Chad Ruhwedel in the starting lineup, Friedman sat out with an upper-body injury, per Sullivan. Ruhwedel and Pierre-Olivier Joseph paired together again during practice after Friedman momentarily usurped the former for the Penguins’ loss to the Kings.
Sullivan said Friedman is being evaluated for his injury and doesn’t expect him to be available for the Penguins’ Tuesday night game against the San Jose Sharks.
“Right now, he’s out,” Sullivan said. “I don’t have anything further to add on that one.”
For the second practice in a row, Jan Rutta and Tristan Jarry were full participants as they continued to rehab from upper-body injuries. Jarry took part in several game-speed drills and faced a plethora of shots while Rutta skated with forward Drew O’Connor to make a fourth defensive pairing during line rushes.
Sullivan said there’s a possibility Jarry could suit up versus the Sharks but that his status remains day to day.
“When [Jarry] gets in more of the game-real practices like he did today, it just prepares him that much more,” Sullivan said. “We’ll see how he responds to it and we’ll make decisions accordingly.”
Rutta, who is eligible to come off long-term injured reserve on Tuesday, is getting “closer” to returning, per Sullivan.
“He’s been out for a little while here,” Sullivan said of Rutta, who hasn’t played since Jan. 14. “We’re trying to make sure we get him in enough game-real environments to set him up for success when he does come back.”