VANCOUVER — The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their most important players for three games.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety suspended Penguins forward Bryan Rust for an illegal hit to the head in the final seconds of Sunday’s 3-2 Pittsburgh victory in Vancouver. Rust launched himself into Canucks forward Brock Boeser during the final dramatic moments, helping to prevent a Vancouver comeback.

Rust helped preserve the victory, but the NHL has deemed that he did not do so legally.

The Penguins’ next game is Thursday at home against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Rust does not have a history of discipline from the NHL and has long been known as a fierce but honest player. Penguins coach Dan Muse took exception to the suspension’s length.

“I think three games is a lot,” Muse said Tuesday. “I don’t agree with it. As an organization, we don’t agree with it. They have a tough job, in the league, in terms of looking at these things. Bryan Rust is a guy who you know what you’re going to get from him every night. He’s a guy that works his ass off every day. He’s a guy that’s heart and soul. One thing he’s not is a dirty player.”

The Canucks, who were not happy with Rust after Sunday’s game, have placed Boeser on injured reserve.

While attempting to separate Boeser from the puck, Rust raised his right arm. While the initial contact appears to be with Boeser’s chest and shoulder, there is clear contact to Boeser’s head, which prompted the suspension.

The 33-year-old Rust, one of the Penguins’ most steady performers, is again enjoying a strong season. He has 18 goals and 39 points in 47 games while skating almost exclusively on Sidney Crosby’s line. Rust routinely kills penalties and is a member of the Penguins’ top power play.

The Penguins were hopeful that Rust would not be suspended but knew it was likely upon learning Monday that the Department of Player Safety scheduled a hearing with Rust, which took place Tuesday morning.

St. Ivany has surgery

Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany had surgery on his left hand, the team announced Tuesday. The Penguins say they expect the recovery to take up to eight weeks.

The third-pairing defenseman has seven assists in 17 games this season. Before leaving after playing less than three minutes in Sunday’s game, St. Ivany had two two-assist games in a row: Wednesday at Calgary and Thursday at Edmonton.