Wild shows its depth in win at New Jersey

NEWARK, N.J. -- Being a healthy scratch can be a helpless feeling.
All you can control are your attitude and your effort. When that next opportunity to get back into lineup is often unknown. And four days from the trading deadline, you never know if that next chance will come in the same uniform.
When that next opportunity came for both Chris Stewart and Mike Reilly on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils, each took advantage.

The Wild got goals from both players during a decisive second period as Minnesota rallied for a 4-2 win at Prudential Center, assuring itself of a winning East Coast road trip. The Wild will go for the three-game New York sweep on Friday when it plays the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
In addition to its goal scorers, backup goaltender Alex Stalock was fantastic between the posts in making his first start since Feb. 3. He stopped 38 shots -- including 17 in the first period -- in earning his first victory in exactly one month.

"It's huge. Any team that I've ever been on that's been successful has different people step up at different times and contribute on different nights," said Wild forward Eric Staal, whose empty-net goal late to seal the win was his 900th NHL point.
Both Reilly and Stewart's entries into the lineup were somewhat surprising, especially Reilly's, who hadn't been in the lineup in nearly two weeks. During that stretch, Minnesota recalled defenseman Nick Seeler from Iowa, and the Eden Prairie native has looked good.

"Me and [Seeler] have known each other for years, we've grown up in different associations, but we played on the same Triple-A team together. We've been close throughout the years and it's great he's doing well," Reilly said. "It creates a little bit of competition, but I think we're different players. I'm happy he's doing well because he works so hard. It's good to see him get rewarded."
Thursday, Reilly was in the lineup in place of Gustav Olofsson, who himself has four assists in his past seven games played.
But there he was, added to the lineup by coach Bruce Boudreau, and there he was, scoring the Wild's first goal of the game after it had fallen behind 2-0 early in the second.

"I came into the lineup, honestly, just trying not to think," Reilly said. "I just wanted to go out there and play and let things take care of themselves a little bit and let the game just come to me naturally and not force things."
It was Reilly's goal that was the ultimate turning point of the game. Joel Eriksson Ek and Stewart scored goals 39 seconds apart later in the period that gave Minnesota the lead for good.
Stewart, the team's emotional leader, played Feb. 17 against Anaheim, but before that, hadn't been in the lineup since Feb. 3 against Dallas.
His goal, in which he looked off a defenseman while leading a 3-on-2 rush, then fired a no-look shot through Eddie Lack, ended up being the game winner.

'[It] works on [Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk]," Stewart said of the goal. "It's something I've had in my cap for years, and it kind of set up nice. I think all the boys on the bench knew it was going to happen, too."
The goal snapped a 14-game pointless stretch and was his first tally since Dec. 19 in Ottawa.
"I was really happy for him," Boudreau said. "He's worked really hard for it. He's been a great soldier."

It hasn't been an easy year for Stewart, a veteran of 645 NHL games. Despite being tied for sixth on the team with nine goals, he's been healthy scratched 13 times. But one of the reasons why teammates and coaches love him is his attitude never changes, whether he's skating on the top line or sitting out.
It's something Stewart said he prides himself on.
"It's the] hardest job in the world is not playing, but you've got to stay on top of it," Stewart said. "You can't worry about things that are out of your control and come to work everyday, and when you do get in there, you want to show him why you want to play every night and just bring that energy.
"I'm still a big part of the team. These guys are like my family. Even when I'm not playing and I see my boys score, I'm the happiest guy for them. I really bank on being a heart and soul guy. The way I look at it, you look at Nashville last year, they used 14 forwards to go to the Stanley Cup Final. It's definitely not ideal, but to win, that's something I'm willing to sacrifice."
**Related:**
- [Postgame Hat Trick: Wild 4, Devils 2 - Watch: Bruce Boudreau postgame at New Jersey