The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 21

fi? XI IK VANCOUVER SUN, WI'DNESHAY, DliCIiMBKR 20, 2006 i post game I Win ioss I I Future games ft ire. i i 2a2ss: 5BJ2-. Canucks Bruins Thursday Time: 4 pm Carrier NET Canucks Cue Jackets Friday Time: 4 pm Carrier NET Canucks Rames Tuesday Time: 6 pm Canton PPV Canucks Flames Canucks Oilers Saturday Time: 7 pm Carrier C8C Tkra: 7pjrii Carrier TSN USUI) 0 gl4J.i-SL-? ujii BMi li Public won't be privy to settled Canucks were not 'desperate' enough suit NHL not excited Uvf ffl 1 -M fir about open testimony VANCOUVER SUN From El "We just weren't consistently good enough tonight to win," said Linden. "It's tough enough to win in this league when things are going well, but when you make the type of mistakes we made tonight you are not going to win. It doesn't matter." "It wasn't a great effort by our hockey club," added defence-man Willie Mitchell.

"These are desperate games early in the year and we didn't play that lOURT I If the NHL is successful convincing Steve Moore and Todd Bertuzzi to settle out of hockey fans will be leprived of hearing about what eally happens behind the closed loors of a dressing room. Former Colorado Avalanche brward Moore, who was attacked ex-Canuck Todd Bertuzzi in a ame on March 8, 2004, is suing Bertuzzi, the Canucks and parent company Orca Bay for $19.5 million in civil damages. Moore has not played since the incident that has apparently ended his career. The NHL is likely not way. The loss snapped a three-game Canuck winning streak.

All three of those victo-ries had come at home. The Canucks, who had some early-season success on the ANN HEISENFELTASSOCIATED PRESS Minnesota goalie Manny Fernandez covers the net while the Wild's Brent Burns and Canuck Yannick Tremblay vie for the puck. 'Coco' goes loco on Wild canucks notebook I Coach not happy with team's work ethic at early skate Todd Bertuzzi Target of a $19.5 million civil damages suit. Alain Vigneault 'We have to find a way to at least play BY BRAD ZIEMER VANCOUVER SUN This season: THE HIGHLIGHTS This season: 17-16-1 17-14-2 3 SMALL CONSOLATION About the only battle the Canucks won was in the face-off circle, where they had a 30-27 edge. That was mainly due to the fact that Henrik Sedln went 7-1 on the night Trevor Linden's secondperiod goal was just his third of the season, but his second in the last two games Wild are three for four versus Vancouver this season.

BY THE NUMBERS The Canucks killed all four Minnesota power plays and have now not allowed a power-play goal In the last 20 opposition opportunities. The Canuck power play was one for four and is now an impressive 12 for 45 in December Henrik Sedln extended his points streak to six games with an assist on Kevin Bleksa's third-period goal. QUOTABLE "We come back, we make it 2-1, and then Josh Green has an open net. He misses the open net by a foot or two. He's got to put some of those in.

Those guys have to find a way to contribute here. The third and fourth line, we don't have enough production from those guys." Canucks coach Alain Vigneault. Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun road, have now lost four in a row away from GM Place by a combined score of 20-6. "We have to find a way to at least play .500, and right now we are three games below .500 (6-9-1) on the road," Vigneault said. The loss dropped the Canucks, now 17-16-1, into last place in the tightly bunched Northwest Division.

Minnesota, now 17-14-2, moved ahead of them, as did Colorado, which beat Edmonton 7-6 on Tuesday night. Mark Parrish scored Minnesota's other goal early in the third to put the Wild up 4-1. Canuck defenceman Kevin Bieksa scored on a 5-on-3 power play at 15:17 of the third to make it 4-2, but Radivojevic added an empty-netter with 1:56 left to restore Minnesota's three goal edge. ICE CHIPS: The Canucks will practise this morning in St. Paul before heading to Boston, where they meet the Bruins on Thursday night.

The three-game trip concludes Friday night in Columbus against the Blue Jackets. bzicmerpng.canwest.com Newspaper ffi)) Voices The Vancouver Sun Read Aloud This story can be heard online after 10:30 a.m. today at www.vancouvereun.comieadaloud. You can now listen to every Vancouver Sun story on our new digital edition. Free to full-week print subscribers or sign up for a 7-day free trial.

www.vancouvereun.comdigltal. excited at the prospect of both sides trotting out witnesses who might spill the beans on codes of vengeance and other unsavoury matters. "When you go to court, you're basically rolling the dice," said Kent Highnam of the Centre for Conflict Resolution in New Westminster. "You're not sure who is gbirig'to be hearing the information and you're not sure how they're going to apply it in relation to previous law. "When you take it to court, the story becomes bigger than itself.

The actual parties in the dispute lose control over what happens," Highnam continued. "Other people get pulled in, other processes get set into place and, all of the sudden, it's no longer about what happened but how big can we make this and how much dirt can we scrape together here." Neither the NHL nor the Canucks would comment on the case Tuesday, due to the fact it is ongoing. Tim Danson, the Toronto-based lawyer for Moore, did not return The Vancouver Sun's message. Highnam said settling out of court is also a way of preserving relationships. Bertuzzi, although currently injured, is now playing for the Florida Panthers, while Moore's brother, Dominic, is a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

"When you settle, the parties themselves have greater control over the outcome, greater control over the process and greater control over the relationship," added Highnam. "It also tends to be quicker and cheaper." If the case does go forward, it is expected to be heard in Ontario next spring. ST. PAUL, Minn. Jacques Lemaire is known to be a master motivator, and the Minnesota Wild coach was up to his old tricks at his team's morning skate Tuesday.

Lemaire, nicknamed "Coco" during his hall of fame playing days with the Montreal Cana-diens, wasn't happy with his players' work ethic and told them if they didn't want to practise, they should get off the ice. Veterans Wes Walz, Pascal Dupuis and Brian Rolston took up the coach on his offer and skated off the ice shortly after practice began. "I told them if you don't want to practise, get off," Lemaire said. "That's it. That's why they got off.

They didn't want to practise. It doesn't concern me, but it will tonight if they don't play." It turns out they did play, as a few hours later the Wild skated to an easy 5-2 win over the Canucks. Shortly after Walz, Dupuis and Rolston left the ice, Lemaire called off practice and ordered the rest of the team to the dressing room. "I'm not in the mood to just fool around and play with pucks and make soft passes I'm not in that mood. Not now.

"I told them to get off because they like to play around, to fool around. It's business. They have to play." Lemaire said he was not concerned that three of his veterans walked off the ice. "The guys had the choice. I gave them the choice But if they don't play tonight they will practise tomorrow, I can tell you that." SALO SITS: Defenceman Sami Salo missed his sixth straight game Tuesday night, but hopes to return for Thursday's game in Boston.

"We made a decision to give it two more extra days and try to prepare for the next game," said Salo, who is battling a shoulderneck injury. "I'm hoping I will play in Boston." Salo took the morning skate Tuesday and spent considerable time on the ice afterward with assistant coach Barry Smith, who worked him extremely hard. Salo was huffing and puffing when he finally came off the ice. "He tried to break me, but he couldn't do it," Salo said, while trying to catch his breath. this on full-time." Bombardir, who played four seasons with the Wild, said he's loving his new job but still occasionally misses being on the ice in crucial game-on-the-line situations.

"It is as close to the game as I think I can stay not being a player," he said. "I miss playing, I miss the competitiveness of it. I finally came to the realization that I don't miss the pain, I don't miss playing at 70 per cent. I do miss the last two minutes of a 2-1 or 3-2 game that you are leading and have to be out there. That's what I really miss." Bombardir, who played 356 NHL games over eight seasons with New Jersey, Minnesota and Nashville, lives in suburban St.

Paul with his wife Heather a Minnesota native and their three children. bziemerpng.canwest.com CAREER CHANGE: Powell River native Brad Bom-bardir is enjoying life after hockey. Bombardir, whose career was ended one game into last season when he blew out a knee, accepted an offer from Wild general manager Doug Risebrough and is the team's director of community partnerships. He also works some of the team's TV broadcasts. The 34-year-old former defenceman, who holds a charity golf tourney every summer in Powell River to raise money for his former junior team, the Powell River Paper Kings, is delighted he has been able to stay close to the game.

"Doug asked if I wanted to come on board to see how I liked this side of the business," Bombardir said Tuesday. "I decided to forego the rest of my hockey career and take (Canute GAMEOYER WILD 5 CANUCKS 2 Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006 Start time: 5 p.m. Attendance: 18,568 OL SOL PTS 34 17 16 0 1 35 OL SOL PTS 33 17 14 0 2 36 rjiateiii man ffi3-'2S SUMMARY." First Period 1. Minnesota, Demitra 8 (Koivu, Penalties Cooke Vcr (roughing) 5:57, Carney Min (interference) 16:26.

Second Period 2. Minnesota, Rolston 16 (Bouchard) 2:01 3. Vancouver, Linden 3 (Pyatt) 6:50 4. Minnesota, Radivojevic 4 (White, Carney) 17:12 PenaWet Koivu Min (tripping) 14:24, Bieksa Vcr (hooking) 17:42. Third Period 5.

Minnesota, PaiTish 9 (White, Rolston) 6:52 6. Vancouver, Bieksa 7 (H.Sedin, Naslund) 15:17 (pp) 7. Minnesota, Radivojevic 5 (Koivu) 18:04 (en) Penalties Naslund Vcr (double high-sticking) 10:13, Burrows Vcr, White Min (roughing) 13:49, walz Min (hooking) 13:53, Dupuis Min (tripping) 14:39, Bieksa Vcr (crosschecking) 20:00. Shots on coal by Vancouver 9 7 6-22 Minnesota 6 11 1027 Goal Vancouver Luongo (L17-14-1); Minnesota: Fernandez (W.13110). Power plays (goalscharices) Vancouver 1-4; Minnesota: 04.

Referees Stephane Auger, Kelly Sutherland. Linesmen Lonnte Cameron, Brad Lazarowich. I shots i I i i i i i i i i snots i pi TM SHf AV ft SH IV rTTTriOTTT HT Tit QV IB SHF AW tV 112 13 IotTT HT TK SV BS MS 32 BACKSTROM, NIKLAS 0:00 0:00 0:00 0:00 1 LUONGO, ROBERTO 57:33 6:26 7:40 43:27 35 FERNANDEZ, MANNY 59:58 7:40 6:26 45:52 35 SAB0URIN, DANY 0:00 0:00 0:00 0:00 3 CARNEY, KEITH 3 18.00 21 51 0:00 222 15:38 1 2D OHLUND, MATTIAS -2 22:51 27 30 3:12 3:08 16:31 1 111 5 J0NNSSON.KIM 1 23:32 29 :48 4:10 07 16:15 2 2 4 1 1 1 BIEKSA, KEVIN -1 24:00 30 :48 3:24 4:02 16:34 1 1 2 1 2 8 BURNS, BRENT 3 17:08 25 :41 1:18 0:00 15:50 1 1 3 2 2 5 KRAJICEK, LUKA5 -2 15:45 24 39 0:40 1:12 13:53 2 1 9 KOIVU, MIKK0 42 18:28 27 3:45 1:46 12:57 1 1 7 MORRISON, BRENDAN -2 16:42 21 2:36 2:18 11:48 1 1 2 1 11 I DUPUIS, PASCAL 10:25 19 :32 0:04 1:14 9:07 1 1 1 8 MITCHELL. WILLIE -1 20:16 27 :45 0:00 4:24 15:52 1 1 2 1 2 12 ROLSTON, BRIAN 1 20:00 25 :48 4:09 2:28 1323 11 2 1 2 9 PYATT, TAYLOR -1 14:14 17 :50 2:36 0:00 1138 1 19 I VEILLEUX, STEPHANE 1 14:04 24 35 030 0:53 12:41 2 1 14 BURROWS, ALEXANDR -1 12:57 17 :45 0:00 3:26 9:31 2 2 1 21 PARRISH, MARK 1 15:45 21 :45 3:37 0:00 12:08 1 4 5 1 1 16 UNDER TREVOR 14:20 16 53 337 0:00 10:43 1 I 1 24 I BOOGAARD, DEREK 5:25 10 :32 0:00 0:00 525 17 KESLER, RYAN -1 17:41 20 53 0:00 3:15 14:26 2 27 WARD, MEL -1 8:24 14 36 0:04 0:00 8:20 1 1 4 1 18 FITZPATRICK, RORY -1 16:06 24 :40 0:26 2:10 13:30 1 1 1 28 WHITE, TODD 1 18:44 24 :46 4:12 128 13:04 2 1 3 3 1 19 NASLUND, MARKUS -2 17:18 20 51 3:40 0:00 13:38 111 2 33 NUMMEUN.PETTERI 14:17 18 :47 233 0:57 10:47 1 1 1 22 SEDIN, DANIEL 16:02 19 50 3:50 0:15 11:57 1 1 1 37 WALZ, WES 1324 25 32 0:13 1:46 1125 1 1 1 1 1 24 I COOKE, MATT -4 1531 20 :46 0:00 1:29 14:02 1 1 1 3 1 1 38 DEMTTRA, PA VOL 17:58 28 :38 4:35 2:12 11:11 111 3 1 1 2 25 GREEN, JOSH 934 16 35 0:00 1:58 736 1 2 41 SKOULA, MARTIN 2023 25 :48 1:55 3:02 1526 1 I 1 28 0 TREMBLAY, YANNICK -1 16:38 20 2:10 024 14:04 2 1 3 1 1 3 56 0 SCHULTZ.NICK 1 19.42 26 :45 0:05 3:24 16:13 1 2 2 32 CHOUINARD, MARC 8:56 15 35 (LOO 1:52 7:04 1 1 1 1 92 RADIVOJEVIC BRANKC 2 15:00 25 36 335 0:07 11:18 2 1 3 3 1 1 1 33 SEDIN, HENRIK -1 16:07 IS 53 3:50 0:15 12:02 1 1 2 1 111 96 BOUCHARD, P-MARC 3 15:09 23 39 3:10 8:00 1159 2 2 38 BUDS, JAN -1 13:56 16 52 2KH 132 11:15 1 11 12 TEAM TOTALS 20 .6 .11 JO 0. 27 17 4 5 10 TEAM TOTALS Jl 976J.2aJlLiJP.JZ TMTim( On tee SHF of SMS PPPow PUy SH-Short Handed EVtven Strength HTHh TKTakmays GVGhaays BS Blocked snots MS Massed shots SUN'S THREE STARS: 1: BRIAN ROLSTON, Wild 2: BRANKO RADIVOJEVIC, Wild 3: PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD, Wild.