Shawn Michaels is heading to Pittsburgh to attend Game 5 of Lightning-Penguins

Published May. 19, 2016 9:41 p.m. ET

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Barry Werner

Shawn Michaels, aka HBK, will be present Sunday to watch the HBK line and their Pittsburgh Penguins teammates play host to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the NHL Eastern Conference final.

Wrestling is a surreal world and sometimes its connections to other sports and pop culture create unique marriages.

In this case, the confluence occurred because the WWE's Heartbreak Kid happened to be known by the same initials as the Pens' line that features Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel.

Permission was asked — and granted — for the Penguin trio to be nicknamed the HBK Line.

That caught on and Michaels soon was invited to Game 5 of the series.

Never one to miss a chance to add drama, Michaels said he would make an announcement on Thursday.

And here it is:

The Penguins lead the series 2-1. A victory in Game 4 Friday in Tampa would set up a chance for the Penguins to figuratively apply Sweet Chin Music — Michaels' finishing hold — to the Lightning, and give them a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals.

No word on if Michaels, who will be a guest of former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Brett Kiesel, will hit Priminati's before the contest to have a sandwich that honors the HBK line.

Via the Pittsburgh Tribune Review:

Primanti Bros. on Thursday unveiled a triple-meat sandwich of ham, bacon and kielbasa. The restaurateur announced the sandwich would be available for a limited time beginning Friday.

Primanti's billed the sandwich as “large enough for Phil Kessel's unruly appetite” while still being “perfect for Hagelin, Bonino and all Pens' fans.”

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