Memo to the New Jersey Devils: Hold your ground. Don't be in a hurry to sign all-star holdout Scott
Niedermayer. Let him spend a little more time in the IHL. Regards: Butch Goring, head coach/general manager, Utah Grizzlies.Though he admits it's selfish, Goring is hoping the 25-year-old defenseman, a six-year pro, doesn't return to the NHL any time soon.
"The longer he's here, the happier we are," Goring said before Utah's 4-3 shootout victory over Milwaukee Wednesday in the E Center. "He's a very gifted player, and I think everybody's going to benefit from the influence he'll have on our hockey team."
Neidermayer, who signed a tryout contract with the Grizzlies Monday that allows him to leave as soon as his agent works out a deal with the Devils, got right to work in his Utah debut. He assisted on a game-tying goal by John Purves midway through the first period.
"It was great to play in a game," said Niedermayer, who had spent the past two months working out on his own. "It felt good, I had some fun, and we pulled out the win."
Niedermayer was among the first Grizzlies off the bench to congratulate Chris Kenady, who slipped the game-winning shot past Milwaukee goalie Tomas Voukon to end the shootout (3-2). Utah forced the extra session by overcoming a 3-1 deficit. Mick Vukota capped the comeback with a spectacular goal in the final four minutes of the third period.
Fred Knipscheer had Utah's other score. It followed two Milwaukee goals in the second period.
"We battled back," Goring said. "We needed this win badly, especially at home."
And it didn't hurt having Niedermayer around. Goring said the temporary Grizzly played as hard as he did in the Stanley Cup finals a few years back.
"I think he showed everybody why he plays at the next level. Niedermayer put on a heckuva show tonight," Goring said. " . . . Scott Niedermayer has great credentials and he's here to help us win."
So far, so good.
The Grizzlies (2-3-0) open a four-game road trip Friday at Kansas City. They'll also visit Chicago, Grand Rapids and Milwaukee before returning home Oct. 30 to face Cincinnati.
SLAP SHOTS: The announced attendance was 6,294 . . . Grizz right wing Rhett Trombley served the first of a two-game suspension for an incident in last week's 7-4 loss at Las Vegas . . . In addition to Niedermayer, Utah also signed right wing Brian Loney, who played briefly for the Vancouver Canucks, to a contract Monday . . . Former Quebec Nordiques star Michel Goulet, who was recently elected into the Hall of Fame, scouted the game for the Colorado Avalanche. He is the NHL team's director of player personnel.