Penguins’ Kris Letang suspended one game for hit on Capitals’ Marcus Johansson

PITTSBURGH — A hit on the Washington Capitals’ Marcus Johansson has led to a one-game suspension for Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, the NHL announced on Tuesday, with the terms of the suspension affected, in part, by Johansson’s return to the game.

Letang delivered an open-ice hit on Johansson at 15:36 of the first period of Game 3 of a second-round playoff series between the two teams on Monday that sent Johansson crashing to the ice. Johansson was carrying the puck into the Penguins’ zone and had passed it to Justin Williams shortly after crossing the blue line when Letang skated in and, with his left shoulder, delivered an open-ice hit.

In a video accompanying the announcement of Letang’s suspension, Patrick Burke, the league’s director of player safety, explained that the principal point of contact on the hit was not Johansson’s head but, as angles showed, his left collarbone and shoulder.

“It is also important to note that while Letang does come off the ice after contact, this is not a case of charging, during which a player launches up and into his opponent’s head in a predatory fashion,” Burke said in the video. “Letang’s skates are on the ice through contact and leave the ice in part due to the force of the hit.”

Johansson was immediately helped to the dressing room and was examined. He returned to the game at the start of the second period and played 18:20 over 21 shifts, though he was held out of practice on Tuesday as a precautionary measure.

“I went through all the concussion tests and stuff like that,” Johansson said after the game. “I went through them. Just some issues with my neck right now, but I passed all the tests.”

That he was able to return to the game played a role in the league’s decision, Burke said in the video. Capitals coach Barry Trotz, asked on Tuesday morning if injuries that result from such a check should be a factor in supplemental discipline, said he didn’t think so, but then deferred to his response on a similar question given on Monday.

“It’s a tough job to [decide upon discipline], and it shouldn’t be based on injury,” Trotz said then. “It should be based on situation.”

Players remained adamant after Monday’s game that Letang should be handed a suspension of similar length to that given to the Capitals’ Brooks Orpik, who was banned for three games after a hit on Olli Maatta in Game 2 on Saturday.

Letang, who was suspended two games for boarding early in the 2011-12 season, had his previous disciplinary record factored into the decision as well.

The Penguins’ top defenseman, Letang played 27:55 on Monday after playing 35:22, a career high for a game that did not go to overtime, on Saturday.

“He’s an important player for them,” Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie said. “He plays both sides of the puck. He plays big minutes for them. … It’s a big loss to them, but they’ve got some players that can step in and make a difference, too. Whether he’s in or out doesn’t really matter to us. We’ve got to be sharp.”