VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The Penguins received some positive news on the injury front ahead of Friday's optional morning skate.
Jake Guentzel is one step closer to returning to the Penguins' lineup after being cleared for contact.
Guentzel's injury stems from a Kris Letang shot that hit Guentzel in the right ear in last Thursday's win over the Kings at PPG Paints Arena:
"It's just a faceoff play," Guentzel said Friday of the shot that injured him. "I'm not going to go much into detail about it. But pretty much everyone saw it."
Guentzel said that he had a similar injury happen once before in his career, during his time in college at the University of Nebraska Omaha.
Guentzel joined Thursday's practice in Vancouver in a limited, non-contact capacity, and didn't participate in regular line rushes or special teams work. Friday's optional morning skate was Guentzel's first on-ice session since being cleared for contact, and he took light contact during the drills in the skate.
"I feel good," Guentzel said afterward. "It's exciting to get back out there and take some contact and just be out there with the guys. You never want to be away, so it's nice to be back."
Guentzel had stitches in his right ear, and said that he wasn't sure how many he needed. He said he didn't have any limitations as far wearing his helmet, and that the most noticeable effects from the injury came away from the rink.
"You just notice it sleeping a little bit, just on your pillow," Guentzel said. "Other than that it's fine."
Guentzel won't play Friday against the Canucks, Mike Sullivan said after the skate. I asked Guentzel if he could play in Saturday's game in Seattle, and he said that he wasn't sure yet. It seems encouraging, at the very least, that he didn't immediately rule out returning on Saturday.
