Besides the fact that Chris Stewart has helped solidify the Wild lines and brought consistency to the top three lines in particular, the bruising forward continues to give the Wild more confidence playing against physically imposing teams such as the St. Louis Blues.
Facing the team that dealt him to Buffalo at last season's trade deadline, Stewart scored a breakaway goal in the Wild's 6-3 victory Saturday at Xcel Energy Center and for the second time in a week was credited by teammates for keeping the physically imposing Blues in check.
"He's been awesome," Zach Parise said. "I think not only his production … his presence, his physical presence, that goes along way. We play against some pretty big teams, with big D-men, and tough teams. You need guys like that. His presence alone makes a big difference in the room and on the ice."
Coach Mike Yeo said Stewart has a "real good understanding of what his identity is" and Saturday was another game where you "need your big boys to play a big game."
Stewart's arrival March 2 from Buffalo also has enabled Yeo for the most part to consistently go with the same three, sometimes four lines. Stewart has been cemented with captain Mikko Koivu, and after trying players like Thomas Vanek, Sean Bergenheim and Nino Niederreiter on that line, Yeo has settled on Niederreiter.
That has pushed Vanek to the third line with Charlie Coyle and Justin Fontaine, and Vanek, now consistently playing left wing, has points in seven consecutive games.
"It's nice that I've found a couple teammates," Vanek said. "We've got some chemistry and we're staying together. It helps having a line you can practice with and talk to and then stay together and find some chemistry. I think it shows."
In the meantime, Stewart was happy to score against his ex-team, the Wild's second win against St. Louis in a week.
