Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby returns to practice, close to full return

Pittsburgh Penguins star center Sidney Crosby returned to practice on Friday, four days after suffering a concussion during Game 3 of the playoff series against the Washington Capitals.

Crosby participated in the full practice and said how he feels upon awaking Saturday will help him know whether he can play later that night in Game 5. The Penguins hold a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference second-round series.

"Having gone through this, I'd like to think I'm pretty aware of my body at this point," Crosby told reporters. "I understand the importance of making sure you're good before you come back. I have a lot of belief in our staff here. ... I trust them. I trust the process you have to go through."

Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan also was unsure on whether or not Crosby could play on Saturday.

"He's day to day," Sullivan said. "We'll see how he responds and we'll go from there. Right now, his status hasn't changed at all."

Left winger Conor Sheary, who also suffered a concussion on Monday, returned to practice as well.

"I think I'll be a game-time (decision) tomorrow," Sheary told reporters.

Crosby suffered his concussion when he was cross-checked in the head by Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen in the first period of the Capitals' 3-2 victory in Game 3.

Crosby was operating in front of the net when the stick of Washington's Alex Ovechkin caused him to lose his balance. He was starting to fall toward the ice when the charging Niskanen pummeled him with his stick.

Niskanen was given a five-minute major for cross-checking and a game misconduct.

"(Ovechkin) is just trying to prevent a goal. That's a pretty common play," Crosby said Friday. "There are different levels of how hard, but that's standard as far as going to the net with the puck, guys are trying to prevent you from shooting. The other play (with Niskanen) is hard to say. I'm not going to sit here and guess. It's not one that happens too often."

Niskanen, a former teammate of Crosby for three-plus seasons with the Penguins, said earlier this week that the hit wasn't intentional.

"I've seen the replay. On super slow-mo, it looks really bad," Niskanen told reporters. "I got him high. He's coming across trying to score. As he is doing that, he's getting lower and lower. I wasn't extending, trying to hit him in the head. And when it's happening that fast, my stick and his head (collided).

"I hope he's OK. I certainly didn't mean to injure him. It's an unfortunate play that happened really quick."