The Province from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 55

THE PROVINCE Friday, March' 1,2002 A5! NHL Of j. i. "jrm i iuv V.A A-i ji Rlc Ernst The Province Minnesota's Brad Bombardir (left) will get a chance to fly again against the Canucks when the Wild visit the GM Place on Saturday at 7 p.m. was probably the best year I've had in the NHL. "I was happy with the way things went.

I improved as a player. I didn't score last year but it didn't bother me. "You'd like to score goals but you also want them to mean something. Wednes- up with the people they had in New Jersey. I learned a lot but this was a new start.

I like playing and I have an opportunity to do that here. "They've shown confidence in me here and, in turn, I'm more confident. Coming into this year, I felt I would have another good year again? I was ready to go. Then the injury happened. You have to battle through it." Jacques Lemaire, who 'Coming into this year, I felt I would have another good year again.

I was ready to go. Then the injury happened. You have to battle through day night it meant something. I never considered it to be a monkey on my back. I'm more concerned with how I play in games." Bombardir now has six goals in his five- ANAHEIM, Calif.

After spending last season as a regular for the expansion Minnesota Wild, Powell River native Brad Bombardir was brimming with confidence at the start of this hockey season. He believed his play had reached the highest level he had ever achieved in the NHL. But his hopes for another good season came to a screeching halt Oct. 14 when he fractured his right ankle. The 29-year-old defenceman, who played in 70 games for the Wild in 2000-01, has been limited to 17 games this season and now is trying to rescue something positive from the last 26 games but is in salvaging mode because of the injury.

Bombardir was riding high in Thursday's practice behind the strength of scoring his first goal in 104 games Wednesday. The power-play tally helped the Wild claim a 5-3 victory over the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. "I had quite a few chances last year to score," he said. "Last year 15 per cent to go before he's completely back to the way he can be." Bombardir's return is important for the team because Filip Kuba is out with a fractured right hand. Kuba was leading the Wild in average ice time, logging over 25 minutes a game.

"Everyone is going to have to play a little more," Lemaire said. "The only thing is when there are a lot of penalties, it gets a little tough. "Then we have to have different people on the ice." Against Anaheim, Bombardir played 21 minutes, 8 seconds. Lubomir Sekeras led the club with 27:22. Lemaire doesn't like to use Sekeras for that many minutes but the Wild don't play again until Saturday in Vancouver.

"Lemaire is juggling it a little bit and going with who's playing well," Bombardir said. "Some guy might have a jump more than another guy in a game. It's going to be a different guy every night." Besides Bombardir's goal, the Wild received scores from defencemen Nick Schultz and Jason Marshall against the Mighty Ducks. Willie Mitchell also was credited with a goal but that was changed to Matt Johnson because the replay showed the puck hit Johnson's right skate before entering the net. "Before the break, shots from the defencemen just weren't getting through," Bombardir said.

"They were hitting shafts, hitting blades and hitting shin pads. Wednesday night they got through. We were really working hard. Pucks go in the net when you do that." Wild centre Wes Walz, who missed the Anaheim game with an injury to his left pectoral muscle, didn't practise Thursday. It looks doubtiul that he can play in Vancouver.

"We're hoping he'll be back soon but we have no idea," Lemaire said. "He felt worse Thursday than he did Wednesday. We have to wait until he feels good." Knight Rlddei coached Bom- aetenceman Braa bomDarair bardir when they were with the Devils, year NHL career. His play in 2000-01, when he posted 15 assists, earned him a three-year contract extension with the Wild last summer. "It was a breath of fresh air coming to Minnesota," Bombardir said.

"It was tough being in the line agreed that the defenceman had his best season in the league last season with the Wild. The team has missed his steady play and leadership. "I think the Olympic break was good for him," Lemaire said. "I think he still has another 10 or.