Injured forwards Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust participate fully as Penguins return to practice

The Pittsburgh Penguins conducted their first organized practice since Feb. 7 on Tuesday afternoon, as the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off break continues ahead of Thursday’s title game between Canada and the United States.

While a handful of Penguins players who partook (and in the case of Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby, continue to participate) in the tournament remained away from the team, the majority of skaters and goaltenders returned at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.

Notable among those practicing were forwards Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust, both of whom are designated to injured reserve with unspecified ailments.

Penguins assistant Mike Vellucci, leading practice for Mike Sullivan, who’s away coaching the U.S. squad, said Malkin and Rust were full participants.

Malkin hasn’t played since Jan. 25, and Rust did not appear in the Penguins’ final pre-break contest, a 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 8.

Forward Boko Imama is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, Vellucci said.

Imama left early with an injury Feb. 7 against the New York Rangers and did not appear the following game against Philadelphia.

Vellucci also indicated defenseman Erik Karlsson and forward Rickard Rakell, who represented Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off, would rejoin the team for practice Friday. Rakell sat out Monday’s win over the U.S. because of illness.

Break well spent

Several Penguins players took advantage of the midseason break.

Defenseman P.O Joseph booked himself a vacation to Aruba with some friends.

“It was great,” Joseph said. “We got there last Sunday and watched the Super Bowl on the beach.”

Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic used the time off to take his family to Florida.

“Just relaxed, went full-on dad mode and got to hang out by the pool and just enjoy some time away from it all,” Nedeljkovic said. “It was a nice little reset.”

Lines, defensive pairs

The Penguins’ lines and defensive pairs were predictably a bit jumbled due to so many lineup mainstays still away from the club.

But the groupings utilized Tuesday were as follows:

72 Anthony Beauvillier - 71 Evgeni Malkin - 17 Bryan Rust

8 Michael Bunting - 13 Kevin Hayes - 53 Phil Tomasino

52 Emil Bemstrom - 19 Cody Glass - 43 Danton Heinen

83 Matt Nieto - 46 Blake Lizotte - 55 Noel Acciari

73 P.O Joseph - 58 Kris Letang

24 Matt Grzelcyk - 5 Ryan Shea

27 Ryan Graves - 7 Vincent Desharnais/23 Vladislav Kolyachonok

Notes: Kolyachonok was claimed off waivers by the Penguins from Utah Hockey Club back on Feb. 9. Tuesday marked his first appearance in practice with the Penguins. A 6-foot-2 left-handed shot from Minsk, Belarus, Kolyachonok is a veteran of 62 career NHL contests (39 with the former Arizona Coyotes and 23 this year with Utah).

• Before practice, the Penguins recalled goalie Joel Blomqvist plus Bemstrom from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Goaltender Tristan Jarry was reassigned back to the AHL in a corresponding roster move.