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Penguins Missing Rust, Granlund; Nylander in Lineup

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Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL trade deadline, Bryan Rust

Two Pittsburgh Penguins forwards were surprise scratches for their game against Columbus tonight at PPG Paints Arena.

Bryan Rust missed the game because his wife gave birth and Mikael Granlund is ill.

Both are expected to be available for the Penguins’ home game against the New York Islanders Thursday.

During warmups, the Penguins’ used these forward combinations:

Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Rickard Rakell

Jason Zucker-Evgeni Malkin-Danton Heinen

Drew O’Connor-Jeff Carter-Alexander Nylander

P.O Joseph-Nick Bonino-Josh Archibald

It was not immediately whether Joesph would actually play on the fourth line, or if he simply was filling the void there.

Rust, who has 15 goals and 22 assists in 62 games, has been playing right wing on the No. 2 line, with Malkin and Zucker. This will be first game he has missed in 2022-23.

Granlund has appeared in two games since being acquired from Nashville last week, and had been penciled in to center the third line, flanked by O’Connor and Carter.

Because of their absences, the Penguins are dressing 11 forwards — one being Alexander Nylander, who was brought up from their farm team in Wilkes-Barre on emergency recall a few hours before the game — and seven defensemen.

Nylander was eligible for emergency recall because the Penguins had fewer than 12 healthy forwards available.

Before it was known that Rust and Granlund wouldn’t be available, Joseph was expected to be a healthy scratch because Dmitry Kulikov was scheduled to make his first appearance with the Pittsburgh Penguins since being acquired from Anaheim at the trade deadline.

Kulikov was penciled in Joseph’s usual spot opposite Jan Rutta.