Penguins Olympic Update: Paul Martin Scratched For Team USA
By Matt Shetler
Jan 20, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Paul Martin (7) handles the puck against the Florida Panthers during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Panthers won 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
As Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma prepares for his biggest game as an international head coach, he is going to battle without one of his own.
Defenseman Paul Martin will be scratched today with an injury when Team USA faces Canada in the Olympic semifinals.
That’s a tough pill to swallow for both Martin and Bylsma.
Martin just can’t seem to catch a break when Canada is on the schedule as he was a healthy scratch before the 2006 game and got hurt right before the 2010 Olympics.
He has played the third-most minutes of American defensemen in these Games and has played pretty well along with Brooks Orpik.
However, there are conflicting reports on why Martin isn’t in the lineup.
Fox’s Julie Stewart-Binks reports that Martin is out with an injury as he was wearing a cast after practice.
Looks like Paul Martin will not play today for USA. He was sporting a cast after practice.
— Julie Stewart-Binks (@JSB_TV) February 21, 2014
However Dave Strader has reported that Martin is just ill and won’t be in the lineup.
Dave Strader just said that Paul Martin is ill and will not play for #USA against #Canada later today -SK
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) February 21, 2014
Either way it appears that Martin is out. He will be replaced by Justin Faulk, who will get in the lineup for the first time in Sochi.
The Team USA defensive pairings reportedly will look as follows against Canada: Cam Fowler-Kevin Shattenkirk; Orpik-John Carlson; Ryan Suter–Ryan McDonagh; with Faulk as a seventh defenseman.
Jonathan Quick will start in goal.