 With the Canucks winning the Presidents'Trophy for the first time in franchise history, the team entered the 2011 playoffs as the first seed in the West. After helping Vancouver advance past the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators in the first two rounds, Bieksa scored a double-overtime winner in Game 5 of the third round against the San Jose Sharks to send the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1994. The goal came after fellow Canucks defenceman Alexander Edler's dump-in had bounced off a stanchion along the boards. With Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi unaware of the puck's location, Bieksa took a slapshot from the blueline to win the game. Facing the Boston Bruins in the Finals, the Canucks were defeated in seven games. Bieksa finished the playoffs with 10 points over 25 games. His five goals led all playoff defencemen, while his average ice time of 25 minutes and 40 seconds per game was first among Canucks players. It was revealed after the Canucks' elimination that several players had been playing with injuries, including Bieksa, who had suffered a bruised medial collateral ligament.
