The near-daily Dustin Penner watch took a positive turn in Game 5 last night, as Penner scored a goal and played 11 minutes, 41 seconds in a left-wing role with Jarret Stoll and Kevin Westgarth. That’s a reduction in ice time for Penner, and Terry Murray explained today that the cutback isn’t a punishment. Murray said it’s a way to manage Penner’s minutes better and an attempt to put him in situations for success…
MURRAY: “His game was good. He worked, he was focused, he used his size. Right now, with Pens, I think the matchup right now is important. I’m giving him an opportunity here to back away on having to shut down a Thornton line on that part of the game. He’s capable, but the game is just not there right now. So with a different look, it’s an opportunity to kind of get your game together and have some success, with maybe certainly not the same threat coming at him, as a Thornton line.”
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