Shipley: We knew Brock Faber was good, we’re watching him become great
With Colorado goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood pulled for an extra attacker late Saturday at Grand Casino Arena, Colorado center Nazem Kadri, alone at the bottom of the right circle, threw one final puck on net for the Avalanche. There were nine seconds remaining, and zero chance of the Avs scoring three goals to send the game to overtime. Yet, when Kadri’s shot left his stick, Brock Faber stepped in front of it.
Why let Colorado leave the ice with even a sliver of momentum they could take into Game 4 Monday in St. Paul? Matt Boldy pounced on the loose puck and scored an empty-netter with four seconds left to seal the Wild’s 5-1 victory, their first since closing out a first-round series win in Game 6 against Dallas on April 30.
Faber set up the first goal, scored the fourth, and set up the empty-netter when he blocked Kadri’s shot. In nine postseason games, he has four goals and nine points. So does blue line partner Quinn Hughes, who has unlocked something in Faber since joining the Wild via trade on Dec.
13. Together, they have been the engine that makes the Wild go. The Wild are a forechecking team, and they’re the guys that keep the puck in the zone.
The Avalanche had no answer for them on Saturday. The Wild were a little stunned by how sideways Games 1 and 2 went for them in Denver. Now, the Avalanche were talking about what they have to do to contain the Wild forecheck — which was the key to everything for Minnesota on Saturday.
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