Bryan Rust is Red Hot for Penguins

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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins are gearing up for a celebration at PPG Paints Arena. While there is a game to play, the focus is not on the action ahead but on the return of a former great. Franchise legend Jaromir Jagr is set to have his number 68 retired by the Penguins in a pre-game ceremony, making his number the third to be retired by the organization.

After the ceremony, they’ll take on the Los Angeles Kings in a Sunday evening showdown. Here’s what to watch for as the Penguins battle the Kings.

1. Defense Shining Through

For an organization historically and recently known for its offensive firepower, the Penguins’ team defense is the story of the season. Backed by a goaltending tandem with a combined 2.53 goals against average, the Pens are playing some impressive and surprising team defense. Going into this game, they’ve allowed 135 goals against on the season, trailing just Florida and Winnipeg in that department.

What’s the secret sauce for this team when defending? It starts with their top pairing, Marcus Pettersson and Kris Letang. The pair is a combined plus-38, playing against other team’s top lines. If the Penguins were succeeding more as a team this season, there would be much more chatter about how impressive of a pairing Letang and Pettersson have formed.

2. Interim Coach In LA

The Kings made a coaching change at the beginning of the month, promoting assistant coach Jim Hiller to interim head coach. Since his promotion, the team has won three of four games, including a commanding win over the Edmonton Oilers. They are playing better early into Hiller’s tenure and look rejuvenated under their interim leader. If Hiller can help the Kings make a playoff appearance, it’s easier to envision becoming the permanent head coach in Los Angeles.

3. Can Rust Keep It Going?

Bryan Rust is on a hot streak, and the Penguins are loving it. After he hit an empty net from his own goal line against the Chicago Blackhawks, he raised his goal-scoring streak to three straight games. With that tally, he has 15 goals and 31 points in just 38 games. If he stays healthy, Rust can still creep up to the 30-goal mark on the season.

The Kings will be a tough matchup for Rust and the Pens. Will he be able to push his scoring streak to four games?

Puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m., but fans attending are asked to be seated by 4:15 p.m. for what should be a memorable night.

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