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Penguins Practice: Rust Injury Update; What Beauvillier Did Right

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Pittsburgh Penguins practice

IRVINE, Calif. — The Pittsburgh Penguins might hold their breath a little while longer regarding the status of winger Bryan Rust.



Rust left the Penguins’ 5-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks later in the second period after defenseman Radko Gudas delivered a heavy check along the boards. Rust played sparingly afterward and didn’t return for the third period.

Coach Mike Sullivan did not have much of an update after the game on Thursday and didn’t yet have a firm answer on Friday after Rust missed practice.

“No (update). Right now, I would say he’s day-to-day at this point,” Sullivan said.

Center Blake Lizotte was a full participant Friday after missing the game Thursday against Anaheim due to illness.

Sullivan put the players through a hard-skating 30-minute practice with a lot of drills to address the porous defensive coverage, especially the defensemen covering one-on-ones. The coach made no bones about his dissatisfaction with the team’s Thursday performance.

Anthony Beauvillier

Anthony Beauvillier, who slotted in for Rickard Rakell on the top line Monday against the LA Kings, flipped wings to fill in for Rust Friday. Beauvillier has become the super-sub in the Penguins’ top six. He has 11 goals and 15 points this season,

“I think speed is a big part of it. You know, ‘Bo’ uses speed really well. He can challenge you with wide speed, (he) is good on the forecheck, and is good in the puck pursuit game,” Sullivan said. “He can force turnovers, and then when he hangs onto pucks in the offensive zone and doesn’t throw them away, I think that is a complementary skill set to Sid’s overall game.”

You’ll notice the little caveat in the middle–when he doesn’t throw them away. Sullivan has chided Beauvillier in practices on this road trip for moving the pucks too quickly, be it an undangerous shot or pass that doesn’t advance the play.

Beauvillier has two goals and three points in his last four games, including a two-point game (1-1-2) against LA.

“We think those last handful of games, probably five, six, seven games, he’s played extremely well.”

Penguins Lines

Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Anthony Beauvillier

Michael Bunting-Evgeni Malkin-Cody Glass

Drew O’Connor-Kevin Hayes-Philip Tomasino

Matt Nieto-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari

Defense

Marcus Pettersson-Kris Letang

Matt Grzelcyk-Erik Karlsson

Owen Pickering-P.O Joseph

Ryan Graves-Ryan Shea