Penguins rookie defenseman John Marino will undergo surgery for a facial injury Monday afternoon according to coach Mike Sullivan.
Sullivan declined to identify the specific nature of the injury or the time frame for recovery.
A source with firsthand knowledge of Marino’s status indicated he suffered broken bones. Following the Penguins’ 3-2 road win against the Florida Panthers, Marino, who was scratched that game, could be seen walking through the visiting team facilities of BB&T Center with considerable bruising under his left eye.
Marino was injured during Thursday’s 4-2 road loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena when a deflected one-timer struck him on the left side of his face.
A rookie in his first professional season at any level, Marino, 22, has appeared in 51 games this season and has 25 points (five goals, 20 assists), eighth-most among all rookies this season. Additionally, he has logged an average of 20:19 of ice time this season, fourth-most among all rookies.
“There’s an opportunity for other guys to step up,” Sullivan said. “That’s been the mindset all year. Regardless of the position, when injuries occur, it’s going to provide opportunities for others to step up and continue to help to this team move forward.”
Notes:
• Forward Dominik Kahun skated prior to practice. He has not played since Jan. 19 because of a concussion.
• Forward Nick Bjugstad (core muscle) and Brian Dumoulin (left ankle) continue to rehabilitate off the ice. Bjugstad has not played since Nov. 15 while Dumoulin has been sidelined since Nov. 30.
• The Penguins’ lines and pairs in practice were:
Dominik Simon — Sidney Crosby — Patric Hornqvist
Jared McCann — Evgeni Malkin — Bryan Rust
Zach Aston-Reese — Teddy Blueger — Brandon Tanev
Alex Galchenyuk — Sam Lafferty — Andrew Agozzino
Jack Johnson — Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson — Justin Schultz
Juuso Riikola — Chad Ruhwedel
• The top power-play unit included Crosby, Hornqvist, Letang, Malkin and Rust. The second power-play group was composed of Galchenyuk, McCann, Riikola, Schultz and Simon.
