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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Bieksa pays the price

Minutes cut, but Canucks defenceman determined to play like always

By: Brad Ziemer

Posted: 12/22/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

VANCOUVER -- His minutes have been cut and he's clearly in head coach Alain Vigneault's doghouse, but defiant Vancouver Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa insisted Monday he's not about to change his game.

"You know, if my minutes are going to be cut, they are going to be cut," Bieksa said. "I'm not going to change the way I play. I will continue to play the exact same way and keep my confidence and take care of what I can handle and what's in my control."

Bieksa has averaged more than 22 minutes of ice time per game this season, second only to teammate Willie Mitchell among Canucks defencemen. But in the last two games he has received only 16:22 and 17:18 of ice time and was fifth among his fellow blue-liners. Only Aaron Rome has received less ice time in the last two games.

Bieksa has also been pulled off the team's penalty kill. Asked if he felt he was being blamed for the Canucks' penalty-killing troubles this season, Bieksa's frustration was clearly evident in his answer.

"You read between the lines," he said. "I haven't been told anything, but I'm not an idiot. I like to play in all situations. I take pride in that. I take pride in PK and power play and five-on-five. Obviously, when ice time gets taken back in one area, I'm not happy about that."

Bieksa said he has not received any explanation from the coaching staff for his reduced ice time.

"Not really," he said. "I think after the Anaheim game they (Bieksa's minutes) got cut. You'd have to ask Alain; he'd have the answer for you."

Vigneault, who had an on-ice meeting with Bieksa during Sunday morning's game-day skate, said Bieksa was pulled from the penalty kill because others were performing better.

"Right now, we just feel that other guys are playing a little bit better than him in that situation," he said. "That's all."

Bieksa would not disclose what he and Vigneault talked about during their on-ice chat Sunday morning.

"That's between us," he said. "That's not something I'd talk about in the media."

But Bieksa clearly does not feel he is struggling as badly as some have suggested.

"It's only been a couple of games, as far as I'm concerned," he said. "It's something you go through -- ups and downs during a season. It's not something I'm worried about too much."

Bieksa appeared to be the goat on St. Louis's second goal in Sunday night's 3-1 loss to the Blues when he allowed winger David Backes to skate around him and beat goalie Roberto Luongo from in close.

Vigneault defended Bieksa's play on Backes and suggested Luongo should have made the save, but he does seem to have a problem with some of Bieksa's on-ice decisions. He has been caught up ice on several of his frequent forays into the offensive zone and the Canucks have paid the price with odd-man rushes the other way. He also leads the team with 72 penalty minutes.

Vigneault said Bieksa's game has mirrored that of his team: inconsistent.

-- Canwest News Service

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 22, 2009 C8

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