Pittsburgh rookie defenseman John Marino will miss three-to-six weeks after having surgery to repair facial bone fractures, the Penguins announced.
The procedure, conducted by Dr. Mark Ochs, was done Monday at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-Mercy.
Marino suffered the injury during the third period of a 4-2 loss Thursday at Tampa Bay. He fell to the ice after a deflected Steven Stamkos slap shot landed just to the side of his helmet on his cheek. He skated off with a towel pressed to his face a few minutes after trainers rushed to his side.
Marino, 22, has been a steadying force on the blue line as the Penguins have battled injuries this season. He has played in 51 games, with five goals and 25 points, averaging 20:19 minutes per game. His point total is eighth among all rookies, and his average time on ice is third.
Pittsburgh has remained in the thick of the congested Eastern Conference playoff mix, despite losing several players for extended periods of time. Entering Monday, the Penguins were in the No. 2 slot of the Metropolitan Division with 73 points, four behind Washington.
