The Penguins play their final preseason game tonight against Buffalo at PPG Paints Arena, and for only the second time, the top players, including The Big Three of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang will be on the ice. However, one key player will be missing from the top line, and maybe for a while.
Bryan Rust suffered an undisclosed lower body injury at practice on Wednesday and is out a minimum of two weeks, according to the team. Rust is coming off his best year yet, scoring 31 goals with 34 assists last season. He joins injured wingers Kevin Hayes and Rutger McGroarty, goaltender Joel Blomqvist, and defenseman Jack St. Ivany on the sidelines.
Yesterday, the Penguins placed six players on waivers. Danton Heinen, Joona Koppanen, Valtteri Puustinen, Sebastian Aho, Phil Kemp, and Filip Larsson can be assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if no other team claims them by 2 PM today. Five young prospects, including forwards Aidan McDonough and Mathieu De St. Phalle, defensemen Scooter Brickey and Chase Pietila, and goaltender Taylor Gauthier were assigned to Wilkes as well.
Monday is the deadline to set the 23-man roster and there are 47 players still in contention, eight of them injured. The Penguins open the season next Thursday against the Islanders.
TONIGHT’S LINEUP
FORWARDS
11 – Filip Hallander
16 – Justin Brazeau
18 – Tommy Novak
19 – Connor Dewar
39 – Anthony Mantha
41 – Ville Koivunen
46 – Blake Lizotte
53 – Philip Tomasino
55 – Noel Acciari
67 – Rickard Rakell
71 – Evgeni Malkin
81 – Ben Kindel
85 – Avery Hayes
87 – Sidney Crosby
DEFENSE
5 – Ryan Shea
24 – Matt Dumba
27 – Ryan Graves
28 – Parker Wotherspoon
45 – Harrison Brunicke
58 – Kris Letang
65 – Erik Karlsson
75 – Connor Clifton
82 – Caleb Jones
GOALIES
1 – Sergei Murashov
35 – Tristan Jarry
37 – Arturs Silovs
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