Phil Kessel played in the Pittsburgh Penguins' game against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday, and he wasn't eased into the lineup.
The Penguins winger, who was sidelined earlier in the preseason while recovering from offseason hand surgery, played more than 21 minutes in his club's 5-2 exhibition loss.
"Our hope is that Phil has an opportunity to get some of his timing back," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told NHL.com before the game. "He hasn't played in a competitive exhibition game to this point. We want to make sure we're ready for Game 1."
The 29-year-old was a key cog in the Penguins' Stanley Cup win last spring, recording 22 points in 24 playoff games.
The Wisconsin native, who didn't participate in the World Cup, made headlines last month for his response to Team USA's disappointing finish.
Kessel finished Wednesday's game with four shots on goal and played 6:21 on the power play, highest among all Pittsburgh forwards.
