Aston-Reese week to week for Penguins
Forward sustained lower-body injury in victory against Red Wings
NHL.com @NHLdotcom
Zach Aston-Reese is week to week for the Pittsburgh Penguins with a lower-body injury.
Aston-Reese was injured midway through the second period of a 5-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. His last shift ended with 11:14 remaining in the period. He stayed on the bench for the remainder of the period and did not come out for the third period.
The 25-year-old forward has 13 points (six goals, seven assists) and is plus-6 in 57 games for the Penguins this season, his third in the NHL.
The Penguins host the Toronto Maple Leafs at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV).
Aston-Reese recently played third-line left wing with center Teddy Blueger and right wing Brandon Tanev. Patric Hornqvist is expected to elevate to third-line right wing from that position on the fourth line with Tanev moving to left wing on the third line. Dominik Kahun, who has missed eight games with a concussion, could return at fourth-line left wing Tuesday, bumping Sam Lafferty to right wing on that line.
Hornqvist, who had two goals and an assist Sunday, could provide a familiar style on the third line, coach Mike Sullivan said.
"[Aston-Reese] just brings a conscientious game. He's strong. He's stiff in the battle areas," Sullivan said. "He's pretty good on the wall. He's good at the net front. He brings a physical dimension to that line. He has good awareness defensively. So those are all the things that he brings to that line.
"Patric Hornqvist is a guy that has similar attributes. He's big and strong. I think Patric might have a little more finish offensively, but he brings a pretty decent, solid, conscientious game. So that's one of the reasons we put him there."
The Penguins (36-15-6) enter Tuesday one point behind the Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
NHL.com independent correspondent Wes Crosby contributed to this report