SOCHI -- Alexander Radulov might be scratched for Russia's game Sunday against Slovakia, coach Zinetula Bilyaletinov said through an interpreter following the 3-2 shootout loss to the United States on Saturday.

"We expected more out of him," Bilyaletinov said. "He was not really living up to his expectation today. Scratched? Yeah, he needs to be scratched, among other things."

Radulov was called for two minor penalties that led to both regulation goals for the U.S.

SOCHI -- Finland forward Aleksander Barkov left the game against Norway early in the third period Friday with a lower-body injury and did not return.

Finnish coach Erkka Westerlund had no further update on Barkov's condition when he was asked about it following Finland's 6-1 win at Shayba Arena.

Barkov, an 18-year-old rookie with the Florida Panthers, played two shifts in the third period before leaving with a little less than seven minutes remaining in the game. He had no points, three shots on goal and won seven of nine faceoffs in 18 shifts totaling 15:03 of ice time against Norway.

SOCHI -- The United States will try to stifle Russia's skill Saturday with two shut-down defense pairs playing in front of starting goalie Jonathan Quick.

Brooks Orpik and Paul Martin, a regular pair with the Pittsburgh Penguins, skated together in practice Friday and are expected to be together Saturday, when the Americans take on the Russians at Bolshoy Ice Dome in Group A preliminary-round play (7:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC). Ryan Suter and Ryan McDonagh were the other shut-down pair.

Orpik and Martin are expected to get a lot of ice time against Russia’s top line of Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin. Suter and McDonagh likely will see plenty of Pavel Datsyuk, Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Radulov.

SOCHI -- Finland captain Teemu Selanne is expected to play Friday against Norway (12 p.m. ET; MSNBC, SNET), one day after leaving the game against Austria with a neck injury, coach Erkka Westerlund told the Finnish media.

He skated with Aleksander Barkov and Mikael Granlund on Friday morning.

Selanne played in the first period of Finland's 8-4 win but did not return to play the rest of the game. However, he skated with the team Friday morning and is likely to play against the Norwegians.

Hockey Canada confirmed Friday morning that Matt Duchene and P.K. Subban are in the lineup after being scratched against Norway. Duchene, of the Colorado Avalanche, replaces Patrick Sharp of the Chicago Blackhawks. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Subban goes in for Dan Hamhuis of the Vancouver Canucks.

Canada also scratched Montreal goalie Carey Price, who played Thursday against Norway. Vancouver's Roberto Luongo, the gold medal-winning goalie four years ago, will start against Austria. He will be backed up by Mike Smith of the Phoenix Coyotes.

SOCHI -- For the past three days I have ventured maybe a quarter-mile from our hotel to the Black Sea coast, where we have shot some videos previewing the games. If you've watched them (you should), you've probably noticed the unbelievable setting behind me of the water glistening in the glow of the powerful sun.

The setting today was more breathtaking then even the past two days and it featured a collection of elements you likely won't find in most places.

SOCHI -- Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk did not practice with his Russian teammates Monday, but coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov said he is hopeful Russia's captain will be ready to go by Thursday, when the host country opens the 2014 Sochi Olympics against Slovenia (7:30 a.m. ET, MSNBC, CBC).

"I don't think it's a serious problem, dangerous," Bilyaletinov said through an interpreter after practice Monday. "I think he's going to be OK."

Datsyuk missed 14 straight games with a lower-body injury before returning last week to play Detroit's final two games before the Olympic break. However, he played fewer than 15 minutes in both games.

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland admitted that he is concerned about Datsyuk's health, but he understands why playing in the Olympics in his own country is important to the Russian superstar.

SOCHI – With three days of practice before his first game, Finland coach Erkka Westerlund has some time to iron out his lineup minus his top two centers: Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu and Valtteri Filppula of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Koivu and Filppula had to pull out of the Olympics with separate ankle injuries, leaving the Finns depleted down the middle and likely having to use the Wild's Mikael Granlund and the Winnipeg Jets' Olli Jokinen as their top centers.

Finland assistant coach Lauri Marjamaki said following practice Monday that he will have Granlund centering the top line with Florida Panthers rookie Aleksander Barkov on his left wing and Anaheim Ducks veteran Teemu Selanne on his right wing. Selanne is entering his sixth Olympics.

There was no word on the second line, but it's possible that Jokinen plays with Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jussi Jokinen and Tuomo Ruutu of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper is rooting for Steven Stamkos to make it to the 2014 Sochi Olympics, even though he knows the additional time off during the upcoming break would give the center's broken right leg the appropriate amount of time to heal.

Stamkos hasn't played since he crashed into the goal and broke his right tibia in a game against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Nov. 11. He is targeting the game Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings as his return date and is hopeful of it going well so he'll feel confident about playing in the Olympic tournament, which for Canada begins Feb. 13.

"I'm legitimately cheering for him to play, but you just sit here and say, 'If he was going to get hurt, why couldn't he have gotten hurt like a week-and-a-half or two weeks earlier?'" Cooper said Monday afternoon. "Or, 'Why couldn't the Olympics be a week later?' It's going to come right down to the wire on this one, but if anything [Monday], he looked pretty good in practice. It was his best day. I talked to him after and he said it was his best day yet. He was pretty encouraged."

NEW YORK -- Dallas Stars defenseman Brenden Dillon predicts Canada will use a line of Jamie Benn, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. He feels for any defensemen who would have to match up against a trio like that.

"I think that line would be pretty deadly," said Dillon, who visited the NHL offices Tuesday shortly after Canada announced its Olympic roster that included Benn, the Stars captain. "Just from playing against those two [Perry and Getzlaf] on their own and adding a third guy in there who can skate just as well, make plays just as well and is just as hard to handle down low … they should be OK."

As a defenseman, how would Dillon try to handle a line as big and skilled as one that features Benn on the left, Getzlaf in the middle and Perry on the right?

"Try to keep the puck away from them as much as you can, stay on offense," he said. "Even then those guys are up there in takeaways. Those guys, they're so good and they're two right-handers and a left-handed shot tossing it in there. Perry and Getzlaf, their chemistry says something already, and then Benn, playing with him for two years now, I mean he deserves all the accolades he's starting to get. One thing in Dallas is he's flying under the radar, but I think this is so good for him."