Dustin Penner's injured knee is well enough for him to play in the Los Angeles Kings' home opener tonight against the St. Louis Blues.
Penner left the ice early Monday to have his right knee examined and said this morning that he has soreness, but it won't keep him from playing.
Penner suffered what the team called a contusion when he landed on the knee during a fight with Philadelphia's Zac Rinaldo last Saturday.
"It's built up over time," Penner said. "Landing on it from the fight is just inflammation (and) is causing immobility in my joints. We're working on that diligently now and it should be fine."
Coach Terry Murray has no reservations about putting the power forward in the lineup.
"As long as I hear from the doctors and medical staff that there's no issue there, then I have no problem putting him in at all. I had a meeting with him earlier, and before the practice … I definitely want him in."
Penner fought Rinaldo in response to Rinaldo's hit on Drew Doughty, who is out at least a week with what the team has called an upper-body injury but not a head injury.
Asked if his fighting days would cease, Penner joked, "Dewey (Doughty) on the IR for seven more days, so at least until then."