Rustache Boy

After Bryan Rust scored what would stand as the game-winner in Pittsburgh's 3-1 win over New Jersey on Saturday, as he skated by the Penguins bench for fist bumps from his teammates, the winger put his gloved fingers over his upper lip to mimic the mustache he had shaved after Friday's practice.

"That was good fun," Cody Ceci laughed. "That's from a shootout contest yesterday that he lost and had to shave a mustache. So when he scored today, he was pretty happy, and we were all laughing."

They were laughing at him yesterday, too, when he couldn't find the back of the net during the competition - which was reminiscent of the "Mustache Boy" shootout the Penguins used to do years ago at the beginning of each month. The loser would then have to rock a mustache until the calendar flipped.
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After the Penguins' 3-2 setback to the Devils on Thursday, they decided to have a little fun at practice to add some levity following a game where they didn't quite have their best.
"It kind of just came out of nowhere, to be honest," Zach Aston-Reese said of the shootout/mustache wager. "I think it was just to lighten the mood after a loss like that where we made a good push at the end. We didn't play the best, but we didn't play the worst.
"Definitely it's something we did to lighten the mood, and Rusty losing it was just a little bit of cherry on the top with that."
To his credit, Rust was a good sport about it, and it ended up working out for him today.
"Found a couple razors at the rink, found some shaving cream at the rink, took it back to the hotel and did it there," he said. "Obviously it's a look I've sported before during Movember, but I was just saving it for today, I guess. Took about 14 attempts in practice yesterday and couldn't find it, obviously (laughs) and then I was able to capitalize today."
The goal, which came on the man-advantage - giving the Penguins power-play tallies in five of the past six games - was a gorgeous one.
After Rust and his linemates Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel battled hard along the boards for the puck, Rust was able to grab possession. He curled along the bottom of the circle, shook off a stick check and went forehand to backhand before sniping it top shelf for his 10th of the year.

When asked about building up to a level of comfort and confidence that allowed him to even attempt a play like that, Rust said that trying to have more of a finishing touch is something he's been working on over the years.
It resulted in him scoring a team-leading 27 goals last season, and currently tying Crosby for second on the team with 11 goals.
"My skating has been there, I try and work hard out there, and then obviously just keep trying to work on my offensive game," Rust said. "Things have come along recently."
And while today's victory was ultimately a team effort, the Penguins relied heavily on their top trio of Rust, Crosby and Guentzel through the influx of injuries that have taken down several key forwards.
After it was announced on Friday that Evgeni Malkin would be week-to-week with a lower-body injury - joining sidelined forwards Jason Zucker and Teddy Blueger - winger Brandon Tanev was a late scratch for this afternoon's game. He took warmups but it was ultimately determined that he could not dress.
"Tans is out right now with an upper-body injury," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "He's being evaluated right now and he'll continue to be evaluated once we get back to Pittsburgh."
And while the Penguins were fortunate to get Jared McCann back after he missed the last five games with an upper-body injury, they still had to play without several important guys.
So the Crosby line stepped up particularly big, led by the captain himself, who had his legs under him from the drop of the puck - which is no surprise, as he is among the best in NHL history in day games. He finished with two assists, earning the secondary helper on Rust's tally and setting up Guentzel for his team-leading 13th goal of the year.
"He was a threat from the drop of the puck," Sullivan said. "And when he is, I think he gives us a chance to win each and every night. He's always been inclined to do that. I think that's part of his leadership. That's part of his character. It's just part of his DNA. And that's been my observation, since I've been here, anyway. He certainly stepped up for us tonight. I thought he had a great game. I thought his line has had a great game. But he's such a key leader in that aspect of it."