Nico Sturm wasn't happy to be sitting out.
"If you show me a guy that doesn't care that he's scratched, I'll show you a liar," Sturm said.
But when he returned to the lineup, subbing in Saturday at Vegas once Mats Zuccarello was ruled out with injury, Sturm was back to doing what he does best and that's being a quick and responsible checker for the Wild.
"We really liked his response," coach Dean Evason said. "We liked his physicality. We liked his speed. We liked his tenaciousness on the forecheck and taking time and space away from people, not only on the forecheck and through the neutral zone but defensive zone as well. He closes very quickly. His speed is great, and his work ethic is better."
Sturm was a healthy scratch last Thursday against the Golden Knights, an opportunity for Sturm to watch the game and reflect on what he might have done differently in his recent play, an experience Evason believed could be a positive for the rookie.
The 25-year-old would have been scratched for a second game if Zuccarello suited up Saturday but with Zuccarello unavailable, Sturm drew in and rediscovered the determination that's become his trademark.
"I watched the shifts and looked at the shifts, and it's not like I was just bad," Sturm said about the last game he played in San Jose before taking a timeout. "It was just a passenger effort. We lost the game, so that's not good enough. Overall, it's a long season with a lot of games. I wish I could play 100 percent every night, and that's certainly the goal.
"But I'm only human so every once in a while, I slip too. Then it's just about looking at it and saying, 'OK. That's not what it's supposed to look like." Then try to get back the next night."
