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Muse Critical of Rust’s Suspension; ‘Three Games is a Lot’
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- Muse Critical of Rust’s Suspension; ‘Three Games is a Lot’
Sergei Belski-Imagn Images Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Noting that his response was shared by the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, coach Dan Muse staunchly defended Bryan Rust and strongly disagreed with the three-game suspension the NHL handed down to the top-line winger.
Word came down Tuesday around the time that Rust, Muse and the rest of the Penguins were finishing practice at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, that Rust had received a three-game suspension, supplemental discipline for a hit to the head of Vancouver 's Brock Boeser on Sunday.
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Shortly after that, Muse made it clear he thought three games are too many. He also talked glowingly about Rust's standing in the NHL, and he described what he saw on the play that led to the suspension.
Here is Muse's full response:
"I think three games is a lot. I don't agree with it. The organization doesn't agree with it. They have a tough job in the league in terms of looking at these things. Bryan Rust is a guy who, you know what you're going to get from him every night. He's a guy who works his ass off every day. He's a guy that's heart and soul. One thing he's not is a dirty player. He's going to do everything he can to help the team win. I've coached against this guy. He's been in the league for, like, 12 years, 750-plus games. You see is track record. He's a guy who works, but he also plays the game the right way, and he plays it clean. So, based on that track record, based on the player, who he is, what he's shown for a very long time in this league, I disagree with it. Again, the league's got a tough job, but…
"In terms of the play. It's the end of the game. He's doing everything he can to just get back to the net-front, not allow another shot on net in the closing seconds. The way he comes in there, he's trying to get on the defensive side. When you look at the video, too, there's a lot of things happening there. There's the visual that you see, but there's also the intent and how all those things unfolded."
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Although Rust practiced in his customary top-line spot, Must noted that the team will have to pivot on the lineup.
"It's now going to be an opportunity for guys to step up in his absence, while he's out," Muse said. "Obviously, Rust is a guy who plays just about every role you can imagine on this hockey team, and does it very well. And so now it's going to be an opportunity for other guys to come in and … fill those while he's gone."
The post Muse Critical of Rust's Suspension; 'Three Games is a Lot' appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now .
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