Daniel Sprong Dazzles, Jake DeBrusk Doubles Up to Lift Canucks 4-3 Over Flames

The Canucks won their second game of the preseason, against the Calgary Flames in dramatic fashion, tying the game with 14 seconds left in the game and going on to score the overtime goal less than a minute into the extra frame.

Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet liked the bite his team had to battle down to the wire. He saw them implement things they’ve been working on through training camp and preseason practices and he’s happy with the result of the game but says there’s still a lot to work on.

“It's always nice to see the elements that we've been working on, work in the game. Like I said, the two games were fine, I just think we have got to get a little bit faster – thinking faster,” Tocchet said.

Daniel Sprong scored a highlight reel equalizer in the third period, Tocchet noting Sprong’s offensive ability as top tier.

“He's got that knack to do that sort of stuff. He can skate, so there's a lot of things we can work with him [on] to really make him complete. I mean, that's a hell of a goal, obviously, we know he can do that,” Tocchet said.

Sprong was glad he could help force overtime but mentioned to the media that he took pride in his line’s defence against the Flames.

"With the two guys today [Arshdeep Bains and Aatu Räty], we didn't give them much defensively. So, I was kind of more focused on that. But I know the offence is going to be there," said Sprong.

Jake DeBrusk scored a pair of goals in the win and is focusing on continuing to develop chemistry with his linemates.

"I think that [in] training camp, there's been good days and bad days," said DeBrusk. "And obviously this is the first game, there were going to be some rough spots. But in saying that, you get more comfortable, like I was saying earlier, with the reps and the lines and different things. So, there were a couple mistakes out there again, but those will get cleaned up."

Canucks’ goaltender Jiri Patera turned aside 16 of 19 shots he faced during his debut in the blue and green.

How it Went Down

Max Sasson got the Canucks on the board with 22 seconds left in the first period to take a 1-0 lead heading into the break. He danced the puck down the ice and fired the puck towards the net and beat Dustin Wolf.

Flames’ defenceman Jake Bean evened the score in the second period with a goal at four-on-four.

DeBrusk redirected a Vinny Desharnais point-shot for the Canucks’ second goal of the night, going into the second intermission up 2-1.

Patera made some huge saves to maintain the Canucks’ lead through 40 minutes. He denieda breakaway in the first period and came up with a sprawling glove save in the second period.

Flames’ forward Samuel Honzek tied it up 2-2 midway through the third period, and Dryden Hunt gave the Flames a late lead when he scored on a breakaway.

Then, with 14 seconds left on the clock, Daniel Sprong picked up the puck in the neutral zone and proceeded to dance through the defence before deking to his forehand and finding twine to tie the game up and force overtime.

DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson, and Quinn Hughes never left the ice in overtime because DeBrusk scored the game winner with some nifty passing by the trio. Hughes finished the game with two assists.

Up Next

The Canucks head to Seattle for another preseason game against the Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on Friday, September 27th at 7 p.m.