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Penguins rookies playing pivotal role in Finals
Goalie Matt Murray heads the Penguins’ rookie class. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
By Will Graves
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — It’s easy to get awestruck the first time a new face walks into the Pittsburgh Penguins dressing room.

All those stars. All those glittering résumés. All that talent. Hey, there’s Sidney Crosby. Hey, there’s Evgeni Malkin. Hey, there’s Kris Letang. Coach Mike Sullivan understands it can be a little overwhelming at first.

‘‘When a new player comes to our team, young or old for that matter, I think there’s a little bit of a ‘wow’ factor because of some of the players we have,’’ Sullivan said. ‘‘Everybody has so much respect for Crosby and Malkin and Letang and those guys. Over time I think that wears off.’’

If the Penguins wanted to get where they are now — two wins away from the franchise’s fourth Stanley Cup — it had to. Fast.

Fortunately, Conor Sheary, Matt Murray, Bryan Rust and Tom Kuhnhackl are quick studies. The rookies — all of whom spent a significant portion of the season with the team’s American Hockey League affiliate on the other side of the state in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton — have found their footing alongside their high-profile teammates during Pittsburgh’s race through the playoffs and a 2-0 lead over San Jose in the Stanley Cup Final heading into Game 3 in San Jose on Saturday.

There’s the seemingly unshakeable if impossibly thin 22-year-old Murray, who has for now (and perhaps for good) supplanted Marc-Andre Fleury in net. Murray’s 13 postseason victories are a team record for a rookie and two shy of the NHL mark of 15 shared by Hall of Famer Patrick Roy, among others.

There’s the undersized (5-foot-8-inch) and yet redoubtable 23-year-old Sheary, thrust onto a line with Crosby because of his ability to skate as if he’s worried the ice will melt underneath him if he stops. All he’s done is pump in four goals during the playoffs, including the overtime winner in Game 2 on Thursday night.

There’s the 24-year-old Rust, who has a flair for the dramatic. His six goals over 19 playoff games — compared with five in 55 regular-season games — include a pair in a series closeout win over the New York Rangers in April and the game-winning marker in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against Tampa Bay.

There’s the responsible Kuhnhackl, an intelligent penalty killer who opts for the smart play instead of the spectacular one.

All four in the midst of their first seasons in the league. All four uncowed by the moment.

‘‘I think they’ve been thrown into a lot of different scenarios,’’ Crosby said. ‘‘They’re handling it really well and they’re coming up big for us.’’

Thanks in no small part to the leadership of players like Crosby, who have made it a point to make the youngsters feel included, be it for a team meal on the road or a little post-practice confab to share tricks of the trade.

Sheary has three points in his last four games, including goals in both Game 1 and Game 2 of the final.

‘He’s really good at hanging on to the puck,’’ Crosby said of Sheary. ‘‘You’ve seen him use it. The biggest thing is to trust his instincts.’’

Like the rest of his rookie teammates, Sheary is now in Pittsburgh with no plans on making the trip back to Wilkes-Barre anytime soon.

‘‘A lot of us have been together for a long time here, starting in Wilkes and making our way up here,’’ Murray said. ‘‘We’re all pretty close friends and it’s fun to be on this ride with all of them.’’