Penguins Wrap: Rust Injured; Fleury’s Night; Crosby & Malkin

The Pittsburgh Penguins found a solution to their three-goalie situation, at least temporarily, with a move for Tristan Jarry. Speaking of goalies, the club also celebrated the final visit from beloved Marc-Andre Fleury over the past week. With the losses piling up, the lines not only got scrambled, but in a big move Evgeni Malkin moved up to the wing on Sidney Crosby’s line. Finally, for a night, they got things together enough to pull out a win, something that had been elusive for a couple weeks. And that was without top-six winger Bryan Rust, who is going to be out for a while because of an injury. On the flip side, Blake Lizotte returned from a freak injury to make his team debut.

Catch up on another eventful week. Click the links.

Saturday: With Alex Nedeljkovic and rookie Joel Blomqvist essentially freezing out the struggling Tristan Jarry for time in the net, and Jarry sent home during a trip through Western Canada, the Penguins found a solution for the time being. They sent Jarry to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL to work on his game during a conditioning assignment.

Penguins president of hockey operations/general manager Kyle Dubas rarely speaks with reporters, but in this case he responded to several media members in an email exchange concerning Jarry. Dubas made it clear the organization wanted Jarry to spend his time in the AHL working to find his form.

The intent was for Jarry to get a strong workload so he can try to get back to his All-Star form, and it started right away. Against the Syracuse Crunch, he stopped 32 of 34 shots and was the No. 1 star in getting a win for WBS.

With Jarry down in Wilkes-Barre for up to 14 days, there was a domino effect. Something had to give. So the Penguins sent goalie prospect Sergei Murashov to Wheeling of the ECHL.

Back to the NHL team, and back to the same old problems. The Penguins concluded their four-game trip through western Canada with some of the same old issues, including a blown two-goal lead in a loss at Vancouver.

After that fifth straight loss, there were of course social media screams to jettison coach Mike Sullivan. However, a PHN analysis suggested that instead, Sullivan needed to send a loud message to the real culprits — their best players.

Sunday: With an oh-for on what had set up as a big road trip, and questions about blown leads and other recurring problems mounting, it probably shouldn’t be a surprise that Mike Sullivan’s job security was a big topic, but not the only one, in a Penguins Q&A.

Monday: Even the Penguins’ best players were falling short in the Penguins’ off-kilter start to the season and losing streak. That includes the team captain. Sidney Crosby was candid about trying to find his game.

Evgeni Malkin moved up to Sidney Crosby’s wing in a line shakeup, winger Bryan Rust missed practice as he was being evaluated for an injury that forced him out of the game at Vancouver, and a couple other injured forwards made progress toward returning in a newsy day.

Tuesday: It was a rousing, memorable, emotional night as goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who was part of three Penguins Stanley Cup titles, returned to Pittsburgh for the final time as player, but that didn’t change the outcome for the Penguins, who lost to the Minnesota Wild.

Blown leads have plagued the Penguins, including blown multiple-goal leads. It happened again against the Wild. The morning of that game, we got a long, detailed explanation from coach Mike Sullivan.

In a moment outside the game itself, the old four-man core of Crosby, Malkin, Kris Letang and Fleury got together for a memorable photo.

The Penguins had an update on Rust, and it wasn’t great. The winger has a lower-body injury and is out on a week-to-week basis.

Wednesday: With a losing streak at six games and some of the same problems and frustrations doggedly following the Penguins around the rink, surely it had reached the point that Sullivan was under pressure and coaching for his job.

NHL franchise values are rising. The Penguins are along for the ride, and it’s amazing what they are estimated to be worth now. Check it out in this Sportico report.

Thursday: Finally. The Penguins played a solid game defensively, hung in despite facing a goalie who was on his game, got a second straight strong game from the new top line of Malkin, Crosby and Rickard Rakell, and ended their losing streak by beating Anaheim.

With Crosby scoring both goals against Anaheim, including the overtime winner, and Malkin and Rakell playing to their strengths on that line, the Penguins need to ride the hot hands. That and other observations in the Penguins report card.

Friday: Don’t panic (we think). Malkin missed practice, but it was described as just a maintenance day. Meanwhile, and separate from Malkin being absent, the Penguins retooled their power play personnel. Get the news in the practice update.

After Crosby talked about needing to find his game — and then finding it — and the new top line with him, Malkin and Rakell looking like a smash hit, what about the rest of the roster? Will president of hockey operations/general manager Kyle Dubas respond?

Blake Lizotte returned Thursday from injury. Matt Nieto seems to be heading in that direction. A few players in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton are knocking on the door. Bryan Rust will return at some point. And that doesn’t count that through the first 12 games several others have been trying to solidify spots. The Penguins are about to have a lot of decisions to make with a glut of forwards.