GETTY

Phil Tomasino and Bryan Rust celebrate the former's goal Friday night in New York.

I could rave from here all the way down I-95 about Rickard Rakell, his now 25 goals, his seamless transition to center on this night, his 9-7 mark on faceoffs, and all else that's made him the most uplifting story in the Penguins' world this winter.

But then, I'd be doing what Rust already did when the locker room doors opened to reporters, and he playfully exhorted, "Come talk to the centerman extraordinaire!"

Also and relevant, I'd be yet another in the long line of those who don't recognize often or vocally enough how good Rust is at ... well, everything.

Including his playmaking, maybe his least appreciated trait.

This was the Penguins' first goal, a coast-to-coast special that involved four individuals and not one but two critical touches by Rust to keep it coming:

It begins with Matt Grzelcyk stripping possession from Artemi Panarin behind the Pittsburgh net -- a little too easily, to tell the truth -- and continues with a poke up to Anthony Beauvillier and a follow-up poke up to Rust along the right boards ... then a single backhand touch to Rakell bursting toward center red.

Rakell recognizes that New York's defense pairing of K'Andre Miller and Will Borgen are, befitting the Peter Laviolette system, sticking close the vertical middle, so he dishes right back across to Rust to swing wide, where the Penguins found most of their zone entries.

Next was the vital step, and it makes what's above worth watching again. Go ahead, I'll wait here.

Back yet?

OK, cool because the Rangers didn't bother getting back with any gusto, which can't be ignored. In particular, J.T. Miller doesn't exactly do his Pittsburgh upbringing proud with that lame one-handed, go-through-the-motion stick jab Rust's way. But for another, Rakell swings wide to avoid detection from both Borgen, who chooses to track a charging Beauvillier, and Alexis Lafreniere, who flat-out falls asleep.

Now, the positive: Rust's second pass, the one that sets up Rakell's final move on Igor Shesterkin, has to pass through three New York sticks. Even if they're sticks being held by lazy/lost Rangers, that's still three New York sticks.

"Great stuff by Rusty," Rakell would tell me. "He put it in the one place I could reach."

And that finish?

"Ah, I just shot the puck."

Rust outdid that on the next goal:

Erik Karlsson whips the puck into the left corner, where Phil Tomasino chips behind to Michael Bunting, who does well to look off to the right point before feeding into the low slot for Rust. Miller rushes over to try to prevent a shot, but it'd turn out Rust had no such design.

Nope, instead, he gives the puck a glancing redirect, enough to freeze Shesterkin for a moment -- understandably, because what goaltender ever sees this? -- and to still get it to Tomasino ... who was never Bunting's target.

Crazy. Don't make me share the name of the only other player I've ever seen do this with my own eyes.

Oh, I've seen Rust make that touch pass. First time was six years ago, and I'd brought it up with him that night, but it was a single harmless transfer between one player to another on a power play.

This was, again, crazy.

“The play kind of came from that side, and  I just kind of jumped into the bumper spot," he'd tell me, characteristically downplaying it. "I knew Phil was in the vicinity over there. Didn’t know exactly where he was, but I figured, if I put it somewhere in his wheelhouse, he’d be able to pick it up and get a good opportunity.”

Very real question that maybe ought to be getting asked in advance of 4 Nations: How'd this terrific, versatile player not make the U.S. roster that just happens to be coached by Mike Sullivan?

Don't get me wrong: There's a ton of talent on the top three lines, but when it comes the fourth -- and penalty-killing and all those other necessities in a tournament of that caliber -- is Rust really not a better fit than, say, Brock Nelson or Matt Boldy?

Maybe the under-appreciation thing went too far on that front.