3 Things: Dumoulin, Hagelin, Malkin all practice
1. Dumoulin practices after leaving Game 2
Defenseman Brian Dumoulin practiced after leaving early in the second period of Pittsburgh's 4 1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Sunday following a hit to the head from Tom Wilson.
Dumoulin wore a gray limited/no-contact jersey but skated with his usual partner, Kris Letang, during line rushes. Dumoulin said afterward there was definitely a sense of relief he was able to get right back out there this afternoon.
"I felt normal. I felt good out there," he said. "It was fun to be back out there and I think it was definitely good that I skated today, and it gives me confidence."
On the play, Wilson drove his shoulder into Dumoulin's head from behind - making it the primary point of contact - while Alex Ovechkin checked him from the front.
"I got the puck behind the net and I knew Wilson was coming from behind," Dumoulin said. "At that point I obviously had looked up, I saw 'Ovi' coming. And I just tried to make a pass through him and tried to brace my impact from Ovi, and I didn't know Wilson was there at all or anything like that. I was just bracing for Ovechkin."
Dumoulin was able to brace himself for the hit from Ovechkin, but not the hit from Wilson, putting him in a defenseless and vulnerable position.
"I wasn't ready for Wilson at all," Dumoulin said. "I was more bracing for Ovi. They can say I stopped and whatnot, but I was just trying to take an impact from Ovi and I got caught in the head."
Wilson did not receive a penalty on the play, nor did he have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety.
"I'm not the one to make decisions on that," Dumoulin said. "Obviously I care more about myself than I do him, and I just want to make sure that I'm good and I'm taking the appropriate steps to make sure I can come back and play when I'm ready."
2. Hagelin skates with the team
Carl Hagelin skated with the team for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury in Pittsburgh's 8-5 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 6 on April 22. The winger wore a full face shield and a gray limited/no-contact jersey for the session.
"It felt good," said Hagelin, who had been skating on his own. "Always nice to be back and skate around with your teammates like that. It's always hard watching the game from the TV. Felt good today."
Hagelin said he thinks returning at some point in the Second Round is a legitimate possibility, but right now it's too soon to say exactly when he'll be back.
"I'm not sure. That's up to the doctors," he said. "We'll know more tomorrow."
Hagelin said managing the pain has been "fine," and that he's been able to keep his weight where he wants it to be.
"You've been through injuries before, I think it's a mental part," he said. "You've just got to know that comes with being in this industry."
Hagelin was hurt when he received a high hit from Flyers forward Claude Giroux, who left his skates to lay the check. Hagelin, who was bleeding, went straight to the room and did not return.
"I haven't even seen the play," Hagelin said when asked his opinion. "And that's in the past. So it doesn't matter now."
3. Workflow
Evgeni Malkin, who suffered a lower-body injury in Game 6 against Philadelphia, participated in his third team practice. He'll be a game-time decision for Game 3 against Washington on Tuesday at PPG Paints Arena.
Here are the lines and D-pairs the Pens used…
Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Simon-Malkin-Rust
Sheary-Brassard-Kessel
Aston-Reese/Hagelin-Sheahan-Kuhnhackl
Dumoulin-Letang
Maatta-Schultz
Oleksiak-Ruhwedel
Hunwick-(Gonchar)
