[van19]

Ballard has managed to keep his personal disappointment under wraps as the Canucks get closer to appearing in the Stanley Cup final for the first time in 17 years.

"You have to be a good teammate," said the soft-spoken, 28-year-old from Baudette, Min.

"You can't walk around with a bad attitude or be upset or pout. We are all pulling for the same thing.

"I am as happy as the next guy for when the guys who are playing do a great job. When we win, that's part of being a team."

Canuck coach Alain Vigneault praised Ballard's character.

"He's like the rest of the group, he wants to win," Vigneault said. "I'm sure he'd like to play on a nightly basis.

"But given circumstances, he hasn't. He's put the team ahead of himself and made sure that he stayed positive around his teammates.

"That's what we expect of him. In that situation, that's what he's given us. Now we need him to play and he played well."

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/stan...s-ballard.html

WHAT ? AV praising Ballard ?