Brock Faber scored his first two career Stanley Cup Playoff goals on Apr. 24, tying Game 2 in Dallas and later narrowing the score gap for the Minnesota Wild in the third period. Despite this personal achievement, Faber said after the game, “It doesn’t really matter unless you win, right? It’s on to the next [game].”
The significance of Faber’s performance is highlighted by his role as a young defenseman making an impact during crucial playoff moments. Teammate Matt Boldy said, “He’s a big-time player. He wants the puck, wants to be the difference maker. I think you saw that tonight. That’s what we expect out of him. I’m sure that’s what he expects out of himself. He’s huge for us.” At just 23 years old, Faber has set a career-high with 15 goals and 51 points this season and continues to demonstrate growth during his third full year in the National Hockey League.
Faber’s two-goal game marked only the second time a defenseman has achieved multiple goals in a postseason game for Minnesota; captain Jared Spurgeon accomplished this feat twice before according to NHL Stats cited in the press release. His efforts were described as highlight-reel worthy—first preventing a turnover before scoring past Jake Oettinger and then capitalizing on an opportunity from high slot position.
Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes commented on Faber’s offensive timing: “I think he’s playing a really efficient game,” Hynes said. “When there’s opportunities to pounce offensively, he uses his skill in those situations. He’s taking advantage of it, but he’s not chasing it.” Hynes added that experience gained from USA Hockey events and international tournaments has contributed to Faber’s maturity as both an individual player and teammate.
Faber’s partnership with Quinn Hughes has also been noted as elevating both players’ performances since being paired together after trades brought them to Minnesota late last year. Marcus Johansson remarked, “They’ve been unbelievable together… Brock is such a good player… The confidence he’s playing with is fun to watch.”
Looking ahead, teammates like Joel Eriksson Ek believe Faber will continue developing into one of hockey’s top defensemen: “He doesn’t want to lose his battles,” Eriksson Ek said. “He’s one of the best defensemen in the world, I think.”
