Bieksa says Sharks are Diving - Questions their "Canadianess" ***With Video***

[Vancouver Canucks 30]

http://prohockeytalk...k-of-integrity/

Down 0-3 in their opening-round series against the Sharks, the Canucks went on the offensive on Monday.

Defenseman Kevin Bieksa called out San Jose forwards Joe Thornton and Logan Couture, suggesting both were trying to sell calls to officials.

“It’s a lack of integrity,” Bieksa said. “Couture has been snapping his head back. This isn’t my opinion. The evidence is in the video.”

Bieksa also took aim at the pair’s “Canadian-ness,” — you know, the Don Cherry-esque theory where all good Canadian boys play the game honest and never dive to draw penalties — suggesting the Sharks forwards were, for a lack of a better term, frauds.

“Those are two Canadian guys who are supposed to be playing the game with integrity,” Bieksa continued. “Maybe our team has to do more of that.

“Thornton, another so-called Canadian — he gets slashed, takes his glove off, shakes his hand.”

When asked about Bieksa’s comments, head coach Alain Vigneault offered up “we’re the embellishers,” as his reply.

(Note: The comment ripping with sarcasm. Also, embellishers isn’t a word.)

But staying on the embellishment front, it’s worth noting that Bieksa has gone down this road before.

During the 2011 Western Conference semifinal against Nashville, he warned that diving could damage the game and the reputation of the offending team.

“I know guys will do whatever it takes for a power play to win a game,” he told The Province. “But sometimes they’re crossing that line of integrity.

“I think for the better of the game, for the good of the game we need people to stay on that line and not cross it, and not dive and exaggerate for calls.”

The catch here?

Bieksa was responding to allegations the Canucks were embellishing to draw penalties against the Predators.

[wendythirteenthrashers]

couture and thornton for sure were selling the calls..... did you not watch makavelis vid?

[yabadabadoo]

Thanks Juice!!! It's not like we couldn't see that for ourselves...what took you so long to call out the Sharks?

[UFCanuck]

Thornton is queen of the diving committee.

[Tortorella's Rant]

So THAT is why we're losing.

[The Brahma Bull]

Have any of our coaches/management called out the extremely biased officiating in this series? I know our team hasn't been playing very well, but the screwjob is in.

[eagleeyedak]

So THAT is why we're losing.

[Don Draper]

Hard to call out the other team when ours is constantly diving. Pretty much the pot calling the kettle black..

[Industrious1]

At this point I don't think the Canucks should be saying anything about the Sharks (true or not).

The players need to tune everything out and concentrate on winning the next game. All diving aside...the real reason Vancouver is losing this series is because of Vancouver.

[Barry_Wilkins]

Bieksa should shut his trap and put all his energies into playing hockey himself. He's been brutal.

Also, he just excused, however unintentionally, the refs for their disgraceful performance last night by implying that they couldn't avoid calling penalties against the Canucks because of the embellishment. But that's why they have the offsetting embellishment minor.

[MJDDawg]

Bieksa should shut his trap and put all his energies into playing hockey himself. He's been brutal.

Also, he just excused, however unintentionally, the refs for their disgraceful performance last night by implying that they couldn't avoid calling penalties against the Canucks because of the embellishment. But that's why they have the offsetting embellishment minor.

[eagleeyedak]

At this point I don't think the Canucks should be saying anything about the Sharks (true or not).

The players need to tune everything out and concentrate on winning the next game. All diving aside...the real reason Vancouver is losing this series is because of Vancouver.

[Tortorella's Rant]

You really think that with our team right now, and particularly our offense, that we're good enough to overcome a +10 PP advantage for the Sharks through 3 games?

Yes, its a very significant part of why we're losing.

[eagleeyedak]

They should learn to stay out of the box then.

[M A K A V E L I 96]

Couture goes FLYING into the boards with a flick of Bieksa's hand.

[poetica]

....because they are diving like they're in training for the next summer Olympics!

[RyanKeslord17]

Bieksa should start doing stuff that would help our team rather than whine about the other team. Our whole team is like this, complaining and whining about all kinds of stuff.

Just for once can we play a full 60 minute game with no complaints?

[Rypien37]

Bieksa needs to shut the **** up and focus on his own game....plenty of work there.

[Cigano]

Does Bieksa not realize he is playing on the same team as Kesler, Burrows? That is just a sore loser thing to say. Every team has divers and embellishers. That is sports, no need to point it out as an excuse.

[The Brahma Bull]

It's pretty obvious to everyone in the arena when players are embellishing so dramatically. This is all on the refs. They are looking for any reason to call a penalty on the Canucks even when they know the Sharks are embellishing. Biased officiating is the real problem with this series.