Canucks douse Flames at exhibition game in Abbotsford

Vancouver Canucks' Daniel Sprong (91) scores on Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley (1) as Cole Schwindt (79), Ilya Solovyov (98), and Jarred Tinordi (26) watch during third period NHL pre-season hockey action in Abbotsford B.C., on Wednesday September 25, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

Daniel Sprong made an impact in his first game in a Vancouver Canucks uniform.

Sprong tied the game with just 14.3 seconds left in the third period, then Jake DeBrusk scored his second goal of the night 58 seconds into overtime as the Canucks battled back from a late deficit to defeat the Calgary Flames 4-3 in an NHL exhibition game Wednesday night.

Sprong, a free-agent signing who has scored 85 goals in 344 NHL games, used his speed and power to undress Flames goaltender Devin Cooley to force the overtime.

“Time was running down,” said the 27-year-old who was born in Amsterdam. “I used my speed and then made the move. That’s part of my game, really aggressive off the rush. I got an opportunity to show that at the end.”

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DeBrusk scored the winner on a tick-tack-toe play with Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes at Abbotsford Centre.

The Flames had taken a lead with third-period goals from Dryden Hunt and Samuel Honzek.

"We were focused and resilient, competed our way through,” Honzek said. “We got a lead in the third period and, unlucky, we got scored on.”

Defenceman Jake Bean also scored for Calgary (3-1-0).

Max Sasson scored with 22.5 seconds left in the first period and DeBrusk struck with 34 seconds remaining in the second for the Canucks (2-0-0).

The Flames were clinging to the 3-2 lead in the final minute of the third when Martin Pospisil was called for putting the puck over the glass, giving Vancouver a six-on-four power play for 35.5 seconds.

That set the stage for Sprong.

“That’s always nice to start off that way,” he said. “But it’s only pre-season. You want those in the regular season or in the playoffs. But it’s a good start for all of us.”

Canuck coach Rick Tocchet likes the tools Sprong brings.

“He’s got the knack to do that sort of stuff,” said Tocchet. “He can skate. There’s a lot of things we can work with him to really make him compete.

“But that’s a hell of a goal.”

Goaltender Jiri Patera stopped 16 shots in his Canucks debut. The former Vegas Golden Knights netminder recently signed a two-year, two-way deal in Vancouver.

Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf played two periods, stopping 17 of 19 shots. Cooley saved 11 of 13 shots after entering the game in the third period.

Tocchet liked what he saw from his team which was playing the second game in as many nights.

“It’s nice for them to get some success early,” he said. “But, on the other side, we’ve got to clean up some stuff. I thought we played a little slow in some aspects of our game.

“We’ve got to make sure we play a little faster.”

Hunt gave the Flames the lead at 15:04 of the third on a breakaway. Forward Andrew Basha hit him in full stride and slipped the puck past Patera.

Honzek had tied the game 2-2 at 10:08. A Pospisil pass put Honzek behind the Canucks defence and he beat Patera backdoor.

"This was the highest-pace game we've played in,” Flames head coach Ryan Huska said. “I felt like it was a challenge sometimes for our players and at the same time I thought there were some players that elevated their game, like again we had another good night from Honzek where he showed he can play in a game that’s a little more pace than we’ve seen so far.”

DeBrusk, the former Boston Bruin who signed as a free agent with Vancouver this summer, gave Vancouver a 2-1 lead heading into the final period.

Former Edmonton Oiler defenceman Vincent Desharnais, another free agent signing, sailed a puck high toward the net that DeBrusk batted out of the air past Wolf. Hughes also earned an assist.

Bean, a former Columbus Blue Jacket who signed as a free agent with Calgary in July, tied the game 1-1 at 3:43 of the second. With the teams playing four-on-four, the Calgary native rifled a shot that beat Patera on the glove side. Justin Kirkland and Tyson Barrie earned assists.

Sasson, who has played 63 games with Vancouver’s AHL Canucks, opened the scoring. He took a long pass from Kiefer Sherwood, then sent a centring pass in front of the net which appeared to bounce off Wolf and slide into the net.

NOTES

Both teams have a tie to the Abbotsford Center. The Canucks AHL team has played there since the 2021-22 season. The Abbotsford Heat, Calgary’s AHL team, called the building home from 2009 to 2014. ... The Canucks had six players in the lineup Wednesday that played in their 3-1 win over Seattle Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Vancouver: The Canucks play in Seattle Friday.

Calgary: The Flames host the Canucks in a rematch on Saturday.

— By Jim Morris in Vancouver.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 25, 2024.