One of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ few silver linings this season has been the performance of their first line. Many have celebrated Sidney Crosby’s refusal to age and Rickard Rakell’s goal-heavy bounce back. Fewer have mentioned Bryan Rust’s impact on that line.

Rust has quietly pieced together a stellar season. His 25 goals are the third most, and his 54 points are fourth most of his 11-year career.

The 32-year-old forward is four goals and five points away from setting new career highs in both categories. He is also three goals away from reaching 200 in his career.

However, there is one milestone that Rust has been chasing for the past few seasons. Scoring 30 goals in a season. Last season was the closest he came, scoring 28 goals in 62 games.

It’s clear to anyone who pays attention that Rust has performed at the level of a 30-goal scorer most of his NHL career, but he has yet to reach that milestone. With ten games left, Rust needs five more goals to reach that plateau.

If it comes down to the final week, Rust has a few favorable opponents to close the season. The Penguins play the New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, and Washington Capitals to finish the season. Those teams are 1st, 5th, and 2nd among the teams Rust has scored the most against during his career.

It’s a small consolation for an intense competitor who will miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season, but one that sends an integral piece of the Penguins into the offseason on a positive note.

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