Vegas' Perron on leaving the bench during Game 1: 'I gotta be careful'

Vegas Golden Knights forward David Perron narrowly avoided drawing further discipline after leaving the bench to confront Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson during Monday's opener of the Stanley Cup Final.

Wilson crushed Vegas center Jonathan Marchessault with a late hit in the open ice, drawing the ire of Perron, who hopped the boards to seemingly confront the Capitals' winger. Both Wilson and Perron were assessed two-minute minors for their role in the confrontation but received no further infractions.

"(I was) just testing out my edge," Perron told reporters Tuesday. "I was going to see the ref, to be honest with you. I heard the whistle, so I went on to go see the ref to find out what was going to happen.

"Obviously, it was a bad hit. We were expecting a power play there. I don't know. (Alex Ovechkin) ran into me. At the same time, I gotta be careful. I know what the rule is and all that. I gotta be careful. Obviously, there was no intention for me to do anything or start anything. After he ran me, I kind of pushed him a little bit."

Many lobbied for Perron to be suspended but he did not join an ongoing fracas, nor did he start an altercation upon hopping the boards, and thus skirted any supplementary discipline on a technicality.

Perron, who notched an assist during Vegas' Game 1 victory, will likely be considered on thin ice for the rest of the series, which is slated to resume Wednesday.

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