Shipley: We knew Brock Faber was good, we’re watching him become great

The Wild’s relentless siege on Colorado’s zone put the Central Division leaders, and President’s Trophy winners, on their heels. Avalanche penalties led to Kirill Kaprizov’s four-on-four goal, and to Hughes’ four-on-three score.

Ryan Hartman scored a power-play early in the second period, and the Wild scored on a delayed penalty when Faber started a rush, passed to Vladimir Tarasenko and crash the net, where the rebound off Tarasenko’s shot bounced off Faber’s leg and over the goal line for a 4-1 lead.

“One of those guys,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “He has the ‘it factor.’ ”

With a promising season on the line in a must-win game, Hynes rode his top blue liners hard — 29 minutes, 30 seconds from Faber, 28:30 from Hughes. He had to; it was that kind of game. None of the other defensemen played more than Jared Spurgeon’s 17:38.

The Wild didn’t just get up off the mat on Saturday, keep the bell from ringing at least once so they can look themselves in the mirror. They used a three-day break — their first real rest since sealing their first-round series with Game 6 against Dallas on April 30 — to get better.

The Avs didn’t lose that game Saturday — their first in seven postseason contests — Minnesota won it. The Wild reminded everyone that they’re an awfully good team. Their stars — Kaprizov, Boldly, Hughes, Faber and rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt among them — were the game’s best players. Their checking lines were relentless. The D made smart decisions. Passes were crisp.

“Tonight was a lot better. Tonight was the way we play,” Faber said.

For all the fireworks and special teams play, the Wild really sealed their win by keeping the Avalanche pinned in their own end for much of the third period. Until they pulled Blackwood — a courtesy replacement for Wedgewood in the second period — the Avs just didn’t have enough zone time late to forge a rally.

“They got a couple bounces … but they earned their bounces,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “They were going to the net hard. They looked like they were quicker, more physical and more determined. So, now it’s up to us to respond.”

The forecheck came in waves, mostly with Hughes and Faber at the point. Maybe we were so enamored with Hughes that we slept on Faber a little. He’s been so good since he was a Calder Trophy finalist as a rookie — general manager Bill Guerin followed with an eight-year contract extension worth $68 million — that it’s difficult to call this postseason a revelation.

And yet it has been.

Sometimes good players stay good players; sometimes they become great players. We’re watching Faber, just 23 and in his third NHL season, become a great one.

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