Wild rookies outduel Bedard and the Blackhawks in 4-1 win over Chicago

ST. PAUL - Many were quick to call Marco Rossi a bust after only putting up one assist in 19 games last year. But it is safe to say those same people are having different thoughts now.

Rossi got the scoring going early into the game with his seventh goal of the season after he tipped-in Brock Faber's point shot. About ten minutes later Rossi struck again, this time it was on the power play for his eighth goal of the year.

Believe or not but some were upset when the Wild traded Kevin Fiala to the Los Angeles Kings for Brock Faber and a first round pick but with the way that Faber has been playing, it seems like a win-win type of trade.

“Faber and Rossi have been very good in my experiences with them. What I’ve noticed with them is not just the talent level, but both guys can skate. It’s a skating league. You have to be able to play quick and fast. Both guys can do that," Wild head coach John Hynes said on the two rookies. 

But just their maturity level as players, they play both sides of the puck well. I think when they have opportunities to make plays, they have some poise and confidence with it. And then when they don’t have the puck, they’re able to check well, and that’s been nice to see. I think if you have those two combinations, and you play key roles, that’s important to be able to do.”

After his two goal game, Rossi is now second in the NHL amongst rookies in goals and is tied for second in points behind Connor Bedard who only picked up an assist today. 

Rossi, 22, has been playing with a lot of confidence recently and it all stems from his strong play. He was recently rewarded right before Dean Evason was fired to be on the top line with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello and as of now, Hynes has no thoughts of splitting that line up with the way they are playing.

"It's really nice to play with those guys, cause they’re so smart," Rossi said on Zuccarello and Kaprizov. "When they have the puck you just try to get open somewhere and they’ll find you. I just do my part and try to help them as much as I can."

That trio over the last three games have been electric and it will be just a matter of time before they take off and put up ridiculous 5-on-5 numbers as a line. 

"It’s a good dynamic I think between the line to see Marco be able to, as you said, take charge but also credit to Kirill and Zucc," Hynes said on the trio. "When you have a young player playing with you it’s not just those two and then the third guy. I think if you’re going to be a dominant line in the league, you need all three guys to have that poise and swagger and ability to make plays and want to command the puck and then it’s a three-man attack versus a two-man attack. You’re always gonna have options."

Another rookie for the Wild that has shined this year has been Faber. The 21-year-old defenseman isn't being talked about as a potential calder award winner but should be soon with the way he's been playing, especially tonight.

Faber has one goal and ten points this season in 22 games but has been one of the best defensive defensemen in the NHL. Coming into today's game, there were only seven defensemen ahead of Faber with a higher GAR which is goals above replacement and five defenders ahead of him in WAR, which is wins above replacement. 

That will likely change after his impressive game against the Chicago Blackhawks. During the second period, Bedard came in on Faber 1-on-1 but the Wild defender was able to get a stick on Bedard and break up the potential chance. 

"I was kind of flat footed so I was already put in a tough spot and obviously he's who he is so it doesn't make it any easier," Faber said on defending Bedard. "I thought he was gonna shoot it to be honest. He's so deceptive in the way he pulls the puck in and thankfully I was able to get a stick on it. But that could have been dangerous. It's fun playing against guys like that but you also have to be ready."

Faber was asked if he changes the way he prepares or anything when facing a player like Bedard but the Minnesota native said he just looks to play the same game he's been playing all season. 

"Ah, no. You know, he's another player too. You kind of try and prepare for whoever you're playing," Faber said on if he changes the way he prepares when facing someone like Bedard. "Obviously with the superstars in this league, you know, Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl... those guys, you definitely can and you definitely have to be aware of them at all times. But really the preparation is all kind of the same."

It's the little things that people don't see Faber do unless you watch every Wild game and that's where it will be hard for Faber to rack up calder votes because some people just look at how many points a rookie has when they vote. 

A good example is the play he made in Nashville the other night on Philip Tomasino.

If Faber keeps playing like he has been I'm sure he will start getting looks nationally for the calder race, as will Rossi. Today, the Wild's two rookies shutdown the Blackhawks and outdueled Bedard to help Minnesota win it's third straight game for the first time this season.

“Yeah, they’ve been great all year for us. They’ve got so much speed, so much pace," Marc-Andre Fleury who stopped 27 out of 28 shots today said on Faber and Rossi. "Fabes coming out of the D-zone and Marco got some goals going to the net, tip-in there too, right? So, fun to watch.”

The cool thing is both Faber and Rossi expect this out of one another as they spent a lot of the off-season training together. Both are big parts of this team and will continue to be cornerstone pieces for this team in years to come.

"Yeah, I mean, you see the way he's been playing this year and the confidence he's playing with and that all comes from his preparation in the off-season and how hard he's worked this off-season so it's all credit to him," Faber said on Rossi. "It's so cool to see. He's been phenomenal for us and he's allowed us to get back on track with the way he's playing."