There is a convention in sports that you can’t lose your job to injury.

But you can definitely lose your defensive partner because of it.

That has happened to Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson this season.

Twice.

When Justin Schultz missed 16 games in December and January, Pettersson adapted to a new, inexperienced rookie partner.

That marriage went so well, it remained intact even when Schultz returned to the lineup Jan. 25.

Now, for the second time in less than two months, Pettersson once again has been separated.

John Marino, the rookie who has established himself as a top-four defenseman after the Penguins plucked him out of the Edmonton Oilers’ pool of prospects last summer, will be sidelined three to six weeks following surgery on the left side of his face.

The Penguins issued a release on Monday evening which identified the injury as “facial bone fractures” but offered few specifics beyond that. Following the Penguins’ 3-2 road win against the Florida Panthers, Marino, who was scratched that game, was seen walking through the visiting team facilities of BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla., with considerable bruising under his left eye.

Marino was injured during Thursday’s 4-2 road loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Late in the third period, a one-timer by Lightning forward Steven Stamkos struck the stick of Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese and deflected into Marino’s face.

An absence of any length leaves a considerable void in the Penguins lineup. In 51 games this season, Marino has 25 points (five goals, 20 assists), eighth among rookies before Monday’s games.

Of greater importance might be accounting for how much Marino has played. He has averaged 20 minutes, 19 seconds this season, fifth-most among Penguins nongoaltenders.

“There’s an opportunity for other guys to step up,” coach Mike 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.”

There are few areas where Marino’s absence won’t be felt. In addition to being teamed with Pettersson on the second defensive duo, he also has worked on the second power-play unit and logged an average of 2:02 on the penalty kill, sixth-most on the team.

In summary, Marino has been important, especially with top-pairing defenseman Brian Dumoulin sidelined since late November with a left ankle injury.

“We lost a good player,” defenseman Jack Johnson said. “It’s no different than what we’ve gone through the whole season.”

In the meantime, Schultz will slot next to Pettersson on the second pairing. They were reunited Saturday against the Panthers.

“I think I can play a little bit better for him defensively,” Pettersson said of Schultz. “That’s going to be key for us. We know we’ve both got offensive upside. Be reliable defensively, and go from there.”

“(Schultz) is so good offensively, too. I’ve just got to make sure I back him up.”

Marino’s absence also trickles down to the third pairing, which now is comprised of Juuso Riikola and Chad Ruhwedel. They were teamed together in December and January after Dumoulin and Schultz were injured, and they skated together once again Saturday.

“We played a lot this season,” Ruhwedel said. “The more you play with somebody, the more you get familiar with him.”

The penalty kill is the portion of special teams that figures to be most impacted given how much Marino was deployed in that realm.

“He’s really transitioned well into our mindset on (penalty kill) of being aggressive,” Johnson said. “He’s willing to get into the shot lane on the (penalty kill). It’s not a fun job by any means, but he’s willing to do. Handles the puck well and is able to get clears when we need them. A combination of all three things have made him a great (penalty killer) for us.”

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