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Canucks’ Bieksa does interview as Ryan Kesler, claims America ‘is where the real hockey fans are’

Harrison Mooney

During the Olympics, Ryan Kesler came under fire from Canadian fans for saying that he "hated" Team Canada prior to Team USA's round robin matchup with the hometown favourites.

On Friday, this controversy was seemingly sparked up again when the Vancouver Canucks' centre told Mike Dunsmore of Fox Sports that he preferred American fans after the Canucks' Game 4 win in Los Angeles. Dusmore asked Kesler how the Vancouver fans might react to an elimination loss on home ice in Game 5, and Kesler responded thusly:

I'm an American and I like playing in the States. The fans in Canada are great but this is where the real hockey fans are in my opinion. I love the States and this will always be a home for me.

Except it wasn't Ryan Kesler. It was Kevin Bieksa, pretending to be Kesler.

Take a listen:

According to Wyatt Arndt of the Province's Legion of Blog, after the game, Dunsmore approached Bieksa, mistakenly thinking he was Kesler, and Bieksa simply never corrected him.

[ Also: Raffi Torres suspended 25 games for putting Marian Hossa on stretcher ]

The Province's Jason Botchford asked Bieksa about the deception:

"That guy's an idiot. It's his own fault if he can't tell the difference between an all star center and a plug defenceman" explained Kevin Bieksa. "He shouldn't even be allowed in the room." Bieksa didn't stop there, as he continued to rip on Dunsmore. "He doesn't know who Ryan Kesler is. Ryan Kesler won a silver medal for them. I did a full 10 maybe 15 minute interview with him, I was telling how I grew up in Livonia."

That's amazing. Also amazing: Bieksa-as-Kesler telling Dunsmore his nickname is "Guzzler". Legendary.

Let this be a cautionary tale for anyone thinking of interviewing an athlete ever: when you approach him, make sure you have the right guy, or you might accidentally wind up inviting one of hockey's elite pranksters into your home, unawares. And you will be pranked.

One final question: How many games will Bieksa get for catching Dunsmore with his head down?

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