LAS VEGAS -- Bryan Rust spent a week in the NHL's COVID protocol before skating in the Penguins' practice Sunday at T-Mobile Arena Sunday, so he didn't feel quite as sharp as normal.
His wit certainly was, though, as evidenced by Rust's explanation of he felt on the ice.
"A bit rusty," he said. "Pun intended."
Mike Sullivan said Rust will be available to play when the Penguins face the Golden Knights Monday night at 10:08 p.m. Eastern, but neither he nor Rust seemed certain he'll be in the lineup then.
"I guess we'll see," Rust said. "I'll probably skate again (Monday) morning, and go from there."
The odds appear to be better for Jason Zucker, who has missed the past seven games because of an unspecified lower-body injury, to play Monday; Sullivan said Zucker, who turned 30 Sunday, will be a "game-time decision."
"He looks pretty good right now," Sullivan said. "He looks strong. His conditioning is good. His speed is good."
Zucker said "I still have to talk to the medical team and have them check me out, do their checks," but added that "I'm feeling good on the ice."
He'd probably feel a lot better if his shooting percentage in 2021-22 was higher than 4.9 percent, far below his career average of 12.2.
"There's been a lot of chances that I've had that I haven't buried," Zucker said. "I don't think I've ever shot the puck at as low of a shooting percentage as I have (this season) in my career. Typically, it evens out at some point."
If that happens, his goal output -- he has four in 30 games -- should improve significantly, adding a dimension to the Penguins' offense.
Sullivan praised Zucker for trying to play through his injury last month, when the Penguins' medical room was more crowded than their bench, and suggested that his contribution goes beyond his offensive stats.
"He's had a lot of strong games for us," Sullivan said. "I have to believe that if he continues to get the opportunities he was getting, I think he'll score goals for us."
Rust, who practiced in his usual spot alongside Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel, was doing that before testing positive while the Penguins were in Dallas; he had seven in his final three games before entering quarantine in a Dallas hotel.
"It was definitely good to be back out there," Rust said. "Just try to get my feet back under me."
He had to deal with fever, chills and fatigue in the early going, and then to cope with tedium before he got a chance to test out of the protocol.
"The first part of the week, I wasn't feeling great," Rust said. "Slept a lot. But the last three or four days have been fairly boring, trying to pass the time."
MORE FROM PRACTICE
• Evgeni Malkin and Drew O'Connor were given maintenance days, Sullivan said, and did not practice.
• Because the Penguins are carrying so many players, a smaller group worked out after the first one finished.
• Sullivan, on the Penguins' subpar play in the past two games: "I don't think we've had our best game here in the last number of games. We know we're capable of more, and our expectation is higher and the standard of what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguins is higher for all of us. I know we can all be better. ... We've hit a little bit of a bump in the road. I believe our players are aware of that, as well."
• Personnel combinations at practice:
Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Radim Zohorna-Jeff Carter-Evan Rodrigues
Jason Zucker-Brian Boyle-Kasperi Kapanen
Dominik Simon-Teddy Blueger-Brock McGinn
Brian Dumoulin-Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson-John Marino
Mike Matheson-Chad Ruhwedel
Juuso Riikola-Chad Ruhwedel
Power play No. 1: Crosby, Letang, Rust, Guentzel, Rodrigues
Power play No. 2: Marino, Matheson, Kapanen, Zucker, Carter
"
