NHL Buzz: Rust skates, remains week to week for Penguins

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Pittsburgh Penguins

Bryan Rust skated on an individual basis Saturday for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury Oct. 26.

The forward is on injured reserve and remains week to week.

Rust, normally right wing on one of the top two lines, has four points (three goals, one assist) in eight games this season. He scored in a 4-3 loss Oct. 26 but left favoring his right leg in the third period after battling with Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander along the boards.

In the past two games without Rust, Evgeni Malkin has moved from second-line center to left wing on the first with center Sidney Crosby. Rickard Rakell, who leads Pittsburgh with six goals in 12 games, has been the right wing.

The Penguins (4-7-1) had lost six straight (0-5-1) before Crosby scored twice in a 2-1 overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.

"When you go through a skid like we went through, that's not an easy experience for any of us," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "Our players are proud guys. They're accomplished guys. When it doesn't go the right way, nobody feels it more than them." -- Wes Crosby

San Jose Sharks

Timothy Liljegren will make his Sharks debut against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, CITY, SN, CBC).

Liljegren was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday for defenseman Matt Benning and two draft picks. He was on a defense pair with Henry Thrun and the quarterback of the top power-play unit during his first practice Friday.

"He can work the blue line really well on the power play. He makes good choices with the puck up top," Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said Friday. "There's going to be some rust there. He hasn't played a lot of hockey, [just] in practice a little bit there in Toronto. We'll ease him in."

Liljegren last played Oct. 16 against the Los Angeles Kings, his only game this season.

"I haven't been playing for a while, so just go out and have fun," Liljegren said. "Find the fun in hockey again, and enjoy the game." --Max Miller

Vegas Golden Knights

Ilya Samsonov will not dress for the Golden Knights against the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday (10 p.m., Utah16, SCRIPPS) because of soreness.

Samsonov was not scheduled to start against Utah. Vegas recalled Akira Schmid from Henderson of the American Hockey League to back up Adin Hill.

"I don't have a timeline right now. He came into today and was sore," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We don't play again until Wednesday (at the Edmonton Oilers), so we'll have a few days to sort through it."

Samsonov is 3-1-1 with a 2.95 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in five games this season, his first with the Golden Knights. -- Paul Delos Santos