Penguins notebook: Sheary calls Wilson hit 'part of game'

WASHINGTON — Neither individual involved in Thursday's knee-to-knee hit between Washington's Tom Wilson and Penguins winger Conor Sheary considered the incident important enough to change the emotional tone of the second-round series.

Neither the $2,403.67 fine the NHL levied upon Wilson on Friday nor Sheary's brief bout of pain inspired much outrage from the Penguins or Capitals in the hours ahead of Game 2 on Saturday at Verizon Center.

“Initially when I got hit, it hurt a little bit, but it wore off pretty quickly,” said Sheary, who missed Friday's optional practice but participated in Saturday's morning skate. “I think it's just part of the game. Guys are running on energy and adrenaline, and stuff happens during the game.

“It's kind of just playoff hockey. I'm obviously a smaller guy, so guys are going to target me wherever I am. … They were playing physical on all of our guys.”

Asked whether the fine sufficed as justice for the hit, Sheary offered little more than a shrug.

“It's in the league's hands,” he said. “It's not so much if I'm satisfied or not. They'll handle it the way they think they should.”

Wilson explained the collision as an accident more than an act of malice. To earn a fine for the hit bothered the 6-foot-4, 215-pound winger, who pointed to his lack of disciplinary history.

“I didn't even intend to really hit him there,” Wilson said. “I'm trying to bluff-hit him there and our legs get tangled up. … If I'm going in there planning to go knee-on-knee, there's a 50-50 chance it's going to be my knee that's blowing up.

“I play the game hard. When you play the game that way, you're going to be under the microscope. You're finishing checks hard, and up until this one, I've been completely off the books. I've hit very hard but very legal. … I'm not going to change the way I play. I've got to trust my instincts.”

Unfortunate fluke

For a winger who built his game around physicality, Chris Kunitz never guessed his status in a playoff game might end up in jeopardy because of something that happened to him while he sat on the Penguins' bench.

Yet, two days removed from being struck in the side of the head by a stray puck, he came off the ice after Saturday's morning skate as a game-time decision. The team's medical personnel needed to check on Kunitz, who underwent concussion testing after the puck hit him in the ear during the overtime period of Thursday's 4-3 loss. He was in the lineup for Game 2.

“That was the first time I'd been hit when (I was) sitting on the bench like that,” Kunitz said. “You just try to turn and avoid the puck. … You kind of have an inkling it's coming. (But) it comes in a little faster than expected.”

Kunitz did not have any stitches. He did add ear guards to his helmet, though.

“I think he was fortunate with the way that happened,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “It was kind of a fluke incident.”

Pain and progress

Sullivan offered an encouraging update on goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and indicated winger Beau Bennett remains on the mend.

Fleury arrived late during morning skate but faced shots.

“He's going through a process right now, and he's making progress,” Sullivan said. “That's a positive sign for our team.”

Bennett, who has struggled with a nagging right shoulder injury, continues to practice with the Penguins but has not played since re-aggravating his ailment in early April.

Bieber fever

With a Justin Bieber concert at Verizon Center the night before and the weather getting warmer and more humid, circumstances were right for the ice conditions to be a problem Saturday night.

After the morning skate, though, several Penguins players reported that the playing surface was only a little less than optimal.

“It's always like that when there's anything the night before or the day before,” winger Tom Kuhnhackl said. “It's just a little sticky.”

Food from a foe

Former Capitals center Jeff Halpern owns a food truck business called Astro Doughnuts and Fried Chicken that operates in the Washington area.

He stopped by the Penguins' morning skate to drop off samples for the team's front office. Included was a fried chicken breast sandwich with bacon and a glazed donut instead for a bun.

Staff writer Jonathan Bombulie contributed. Bill West is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at wwest@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BWest_Trib.