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Niedermayer returns for Game 2 Devils defenseman back after serving 10-game suspension
Posted: Saturday April 15, 2000 02:28 AM
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The last time they skated in the same game, Florida's Peter Worrell elbowed Scott Niedermayer and the New Jersey defenseman responded by cracking the Panthers' tough guy over the head with his stick. The NHL suspended Neidermayer for 10 games, the last of which was served Thursday night when the Devils beat the Panthers 4-3 in the opening game of the best-of-7 Eastern Conference playoff. That means Niedermayer returns Sunday night for Game 2 of the first-round series with Worrell on the other side of the ice. "It's unfortunate it happened," said Worrell, who missed six games with a concussion after the incident. "Obviously, you don't want to get whacked across the head, and as a player, you don't want to see anyone get suspended or anything that hurts the game. "But as far as me going out to look for revenge, these games are too important, and you don't want to put your team in a position where they're down and they have to kill penalties." Niedermayer, whose suspension cost him $150,000 in salary, insisted the incident is closed. "I'm not putting too much pressure on myself," Niedermayer said. "I'm going to let things happen. I want to help the team any way possible, whether it's on the PK [penalty kill], the power play or whatever. I'm going to try to fit in smoothly." Whether the Panthers let him is another question. The Devils seemingly went out of their way to target Worrel, much to the delight of the 15,024 fans at Game 1. Whenever he touched the puck, a New Jersey player hit the 6-foot-6, 235 pound forward. Each time, Worrell smirked, almost as if saying, "Didn't hurt at all." The crowd booed loudly each time Worrell was involved in a play. In contrast, Pavel Bure, the Panthers 58-goal scorer and their leading scorer, was barely noticed by the fans. "It didn't bother me. They are paying their money; they are having fun," Worrell said. "I could care less. I am out there trying to do my job and help my team win. Whether the fans like me or not ... I don't expect fans in arenas to like me. That's just the way it is." Worrell made the Devils faithful even angrier scoring on a 45-foot slapshot late in the first period. But Florida never overcame an early 3-0 deficit. "We're playing a really good team on the other side, and if it wasn't for the last two months, they might have been the best team in hockey," Worrell said. "To come back after being back three was good, but obviously we don't want to put ourselves in that position. If we do, we'll have to push even harder." What does concern Worrell about Niedermayer's return is that it gives the Devils another good player they didn't have in Game 1. "They'll be even stronger," he added. Niedermayer will probably replace Brad Bombardir on the Devils' defense. "He's about as focused an individual as I've seen in a long time," Devils interim coach Larry Robinson said of Niedermayer. "Sometimes things like this are eye-openers for individuals." After Sunday night's game, the series will head to Sunrise, Fla., for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
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