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Bryan Rust returns to Penguins lineup tonight

Tampa Bay Lightning v Pittsburgh Penguins - Game Seven

PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 26: Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates after scoring a goal against Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Consol Energy Center on May 26, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

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When the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night they will be getting one of their injured forwards back in the lineup.

It just won’t be captain Sidney Crosby.

Instead, it will be forward Bryan Rust who will be making his season debut for the team.

Rust broke a finger in the Penguins’ Stanley Cup clinching win against the San Jose Sharks back in June and remained sidelined into this season with something that was “more complex” than just that. Whatever the issue was, he will be playing on Tuesday night.

A third-round draft pick by the Penguins in 2010, Rust was one of the many in-season call-ups made by the team a year ago that helped lead to their second half turnaround. He helped bring an element of speed to the Penguins’ lineup that did not exist in the first half of the season. Even though it only resulted in four goals and seven assists for him in 47 regular season games, he made a huge impact in the playoffs where he scored six goals, with most of them coming in huge situations.

His biggest moment came in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals when he scored both Penguins goals in a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. That game was sandwiched between a goal to help clinch their Game 6 win in Tampa Bay when they were facing elimination, and another goal in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against San Jose.

With Rust back in the lineup it is expected that Tom Sestito will be scratched.

In other Penguins news, goalie Marc-Andre Fleury will make his fourth consecutive start to open the season.

Coach Mike Sullivan also said that it is possible that Crosby could practice with the team on Wednesday. He has yet to play this season due to a concussion. The Penguins play the San Jose Sharks on Thursday in a Stanley Cup rematch.