Injury Report: Trio of Penguins listed as day-to-day

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed to the media today that forwards Patric Hornqvist, Bryan Rust and defenseman Justin Schultz are all suffering through injuries but are officially listed as “day-to-day”. Sullivan also confirmed that all three players will travel with the team to Ottawa for games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Hornqvist was a late scratch for the Penguins in game 2 against the Ottawa Senators when it was deemed he wasn’t healthy enough to play. He’s a prototypical playoff performer and has put up seven points in 13 games so far this postseason, so his absence will be felt. As for Rust, 

As for Rust and Schultz, both players left the game with injuries in game 2 and did not return. Rust, another consummate playoff performer, has five goals in 14 playoff games this season and had a knack for scoring big goals during the Penguins Stanley Cup run in 2015-16. Schultz has developed into a big time minute muncher on the Pens blue line in the absence of both Kris Letang and Trevor Daley. After a fantastic 51 points in 78 games during the regular season, Schultz has managed 2 goals and 8 points in 14 playoff games.

It remains to be seen who, if anyone, from this group will be in the lineup for game 3. But, if Sullivan is forced to jumble his lineup, let’s just say it won’t exactly be foreign to him. The Pens bench boss has done an fantastic job of managing injuries and getting the most out of the players he has available.