updated 11:02 p.m. ET Sept. 17, 2005

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Wayne Gretzky got an early lesson in the harsh realities of coaching. Unexpected twists can ruin a good night.

Gretzky’s Phoenix Coyotes beat the Minnesota Wild 3-2 in his coaching debut on Friday night. But goalie Brian Boucher left with a groin injury that occurred after the preseason opener ended.

“I know there are going to be days that are going to be disappointing, as tonight is with ‘Boosch’ getting injured,” Gretzky said. “But you know what, injuries are a part of sports. I feel bad for him because of the way it happened.”

It came in an exhibition of the shootout that will be used in tie games under the NHL’s new rules. There will be such exhibitions after all preseason games as part of the effort to let fans know that after labor strife killed an entire season, the league has made significant changes in an attempt to make the game more exciting.

“Nobody intended the shootout to cause injuries,” Gretzky said. “We’re just trying to make the game better and make it more exciting. It was disappointing and frustrating for him that it happened because he was our best player.”

Gretzky wasn’t on the bench with his team. He was in his suite high above the ice at Glendale Arena. He will have a similar spot when the team plays at Minnesota Saturday night, and will make his first appearance on the bench Tuesday night at home against Los Angeles.

“Just the first couple of games I wanted to be up top and be able to see the guys,” he said before the game, “just to see the team from above, that’s all.”

It was an otherwise good night for the Coyotes, even though the crowd was sparse for the arena’s first NHL game in over a year. The official attendance was 10,417.

“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. We’ve got to win over a lot of people,” Gretzky said. “But in time we hope we will. It’s a great sports city. It’s a wonderful city, a beautiful building. If we play hard, people are going to start supporting us more and more every day.”

Coyotes center Mike Ricci, who skated against Gretzky as a player, knows his new coach is serious about the job.

“He’s got a quiet intensity about him,” Ricci said after the morning skate. “He’s not a yeller, he’s not a screamer. ... He tells you, but he does it his way. He’s got that look about him. That’s why he’s not only the greatest player but probably one of the greatest champions.”

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Gretzky, a part owner of the Coyotes, thought long and hard before finally committing to the demanding job. He knows that great players don’t have a great history as coaches.

“I understand what people are saying, what people think,” he said after the game. “I love the game. I’m going in. I like my staff. I love the scenario so far. It’s exciting to be in this city. It’s a beautiful arena. And I think my team is a fun team to watch and they’re getting better everyday.”

That system is the one Gretzky excelled at for so many years — fast and offensive-minded. The new rules aimed at speeding up the game should help.

“He’s got it right,” Ricci said. “He wants us to play a pressure, puck-control style of game and also take care of our own zone. I think he’s going to give the offensive guys the leeway to use their talents, and as a player, that’s all you can ask for.”

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