As he headed to downtown St.
Paul for morning skate on Friday, Minnesota Wild homegrown star Brock Faber felt like he was suffering from a case of strep throat.
His voice was raspy, while things like talking and swallowing were painful.
And in the crazy, high-risk, high-reward world of playing defense in the NHL, the fact that those were Fabers only symptoms was a hugely positive thing.
Picture strep throat and I had it pretty bad, thats how it feels right now, Faber said on Friday morning, as his team prepared for a home game versus Utah.
My body feels fine and I dont have chills, so its actually even better than strep throat.
In the final minute of the Wilds 6-1 loss to Florida two nights early, Faber was standing guard in front of the Minnesota net when a rising puck fired by Panthers winger Eetu Luostarinen hit the Wild defenseman on the right side of his neck.
Immediately, Faber hit the ice, then dropped both gloves and skated hard for the locker room, grabbing at his chin strap.
The impact of the shot, combined with adrenaline from the pain, made it hard for him to breathe for a time.
Thankfully, caught me on the side of the neck more than right on the Adams apple there, Faber said.
Right away, it was just trying to calm down pretty quick, and went back and saw all the doctors and trainers and they thought it was best to head over to the hospital just to make sure the swelling doesnt swell to the point where its all the way where I couldnt breathe.
Wild coach John Hynes admitted that Fabers injury was perhaps the worst moment of one of the teams most lopsided losses this season, especially when the roster has been decimated by various injuries, all while the team has been off to an otherwise hot start.
Its a little scary, obviously, because you can see him get hit so quick and then he kind of goes off the bench and then lots of times, for us, you dont know.
The games still going on and then by the time we get out he is getting evaluated by the doctors, Hynes said.
But even talking with Brock, it was a scary situation for him.
But, I think an hour after it happened he felt better and where he got hit was probably the best place you could, if youre gonna get hit there.
So its nice to see him back feeling okay like that.
Faber, who starred for the Gophers and was twice named the Big Tens defensive player of the year as a collegian, said he made sure to text his parents right away to let them know he wasnt seriously hurt.
He has gotten in the way of plenty of pucks in his career as a defenseman but taking one to the neck was a first.
He said that he does not plan to wear any kind of neck protection or change his game as a result.
Ive never thought about it.
Its just how it goes.
If you get hit in the face, you get hit in the face, Faber said.
Again, were fortunate to have a lot of people that help us out.
Every guy in here has lost a tooth or chipped a tooth and thats just how it is.
Youre not scared of it.
Thats the last thing youre thinking about.
Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson was a full participant in the teams Friday morning skate but is not yet ready to return to the game crease and will miss, at minimum, the Wilds games with Utah on Friday and at Winnipeg on Saturday, after missing the previous two games with a lower-body injury.
Still, hes day to day.
He skated the last couple days.
Hes gonna skate again today, Hynes said.
He will not play tomorrow.
Hell skate tomorrow and then well see where he goes from there.
Forwards Yakov Trenin and Joel Eriksson Ek joined the morning skate late and got in some on-ice work, which is a sign of progress as they make a slow recovery from injury.
Eriksson Ek has missed the last seven games with a lower-body injury suffered in overtime of a win versus Vancouver on Dec.
3.
Trenin has missed the last three games.
Hes taking that next step.
Hes been skating, Hynes said of Eriksson Ek.
First team skates now, so well see how he responds, but it looks like both guys are obviously progressing in a positive way.
Trenins out there and now too, so same for him.
The Wild recalled forwards Devin Shore and Travis Boyd from Iowa for the Utah game.
Boyd, the former Gophers standout from Hopkins, Minn., signed with the Wild last summer and has played in two road games thus far.
He was listed as the teams 13th forward versus Utah, so Minnesota fans have yet to see him play at Xcel Energy Center..
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