Rust Never Sleeps, Penguins Win 1-0

Rust's goal gave the Pens a 1-0 lead they would hold.

With the defense as thin as it is, you would have expected a high scoring game tonight. Not the case at all, as Scott Munroe blanks the Binghamton Senators for the second time in less than a month, stopping all 25 shots he faced. Penguins hold onto an unassisted goal by Matt Rust 4:51 into the contest and win 1-0.

Goaltenders duel between Munroe and Robin Lehner. Lehner stopped 35 of 36 shots he faced but gets tagged with the loss. Zach Sill missed his 5th straight game with an upper body injury and Ryan Schnell was the 13th forward and healthy scratch tonight.

Dan Henningson didn't look out of place at all tonight, being loaned to the Penguins from the ECHL's Chicago Express. He took an interference minor in the third period, but played well defensively. Just what the Penguins needed from him tonight - good positional play with limited mistakes.

For Rust, tonight was his first professional goal and a big one - the lone goal and the game winner. Rust now has 4 points (1G, 3A) in seven games with the Penguins this season mainly as a 4th line forward, bouncing in and out of the lineup. It was nice to see Rust rewarded for his hard work tonight.

The Penguins now lead the season series 4-0-1 against the Senators. These two teams will meet again on Tuesday for the sixth time this season, but not before the Penguins travel to Hershey for a Saturday night tilt against the Bears at the Giant Center.

The win tonight broke the three-way tie for first place in the East Divsion. The Penguins now lead with 31 points, with Hershey (29 pts) and Norfolk (29 pts) nipping at their heels. Saturday night's game with the Bears is a big game, a proverbial "four point game" that could either keep first place tied up or see the Pens extend their lead again.

Highlights courtesy of Eric P from the Pensblog: