Blues fourth line of Nathan Walker, Alexey Toropchenko, Radek Faksa fuel third-period comeback that sparked 5-4 overtime win
They're not known as the big-money players, nor will they be on the ice in the money situations, but when Nathan Walker, Alexey Toropchenko and Radek Faksa get the ice time, the St. Louis Blues' fourth line has shown the eagerness and willingness to make an impact.
The 'WTF' line laid the foundation.
All three played their part in Tuesday's 3-2 win against the Seattle Kraken. Their contributions and will to pull their teammates back into the fight for a second straight game paid huge dividends on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks.
The line fueled the Blues' three-goal third period when they trailed 4-1 with Faksa scoring and Walker and Toropchenko each getting an assist, Walker on the Faksa goal, and Toropchenko on a goal by Ryan Suter in the second come-from-behind win in as many games for the Blues, in which they trailed by multiple goals in each.
When Walker scrapped it up with Vince Dunn, followed seconds later by a Toropchenko fight with Yanni Gourde facing a 2-0 deficit, then Faksa helping draw the penalty that sparked the three-goal comeback in which the Blues scored three times in 1:55 to defeat Seattle, it was the workmanlike mentality and never quit attitude even down three goals in the third period on Thursday that rubbed off in a positive light for the rest of the team.
On Faksa's goal, Walker wins a battle along the boards while taking two Sharks players with him, pushing the puck behind the net for an open Faksa, who powered his way to the front and stuffed a shot through Mackenzie Blackwood at the near post just 2:54 in to make it 4-2.
It only brought the Blues to within two but it showed early in the period that the resiliency was there and plenty of time remaining.
Then Toropchenko makes a smart play moving up the right side, spotting Suter coming through the high slot before feeding the defenseman to get his, like Faksa, first Blues goal at 6:11 to bring the deficit within one at 4-3 with tons of time and momentum remaining.
Those guys did the hard and dirty work and gave way for the big guns to take the game to the finish line, and they did so after a solid effort by the guys at the bottom.
Each of the fourth-liners was a plus-2, with Faksa playing 12:24 with one shot, two hits and winning six of 12 face-offs; Walker also played 12:24 with three shot attempts (one on goal), two hits, a takeaway and blocked shot; Toropchenko played 13:43 with one shot on goal and a team-high four hits and two blocked shots.
All in a day's work to help their team win.
