Canucks, DeBrusk defeat Flames in 4-3 overtime thriller

Well, that's one way to make your Vancouver Canucks debut, isn't it? Top free agent signing Jake DeBrusk, making his Canucks debut on a line with Elias Pettersson and Jonathan Lekkerimaki, potted two goals, including the overtime winner, in Wednesday night's 4-3 overtime win over the Calgary Flames at the Abbotsford Centre.

The Canucks' preseason theme of scoring goals late in a period bled into Wednesday night's showdown with the Flames, as Max Sasson and DeBrusk tallied in the dying seconds of the first and second periods, respectively.

Sasson and DeBrusk's goals were abbreviated by a strike from Flames newcomer Jake Bean, who was assisted by Tyson Barrie, a veteran player on his way to earning a contract in Calgary on the heels of a rough year in Nashville.

The Flames stormed back to take the lead late in the third period, with prospect Samuel Honzek tying the game at 2-2 and 2024 draft pick Andrew Basha aiding NHL journeyman Dryden Hunt in stealing the lead.

If you could believe it, free agent signing Daniel Sprong scored an empty-net power play goal with just 15 seconds left on the clock to tie the game at 3-3, sending the sold-out Abbotsford Centre into a frenzy with the slick highlight reel goal.

With the high-octane game headed to overtime, you knew it was the captain who had to take care of business once and for all.

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes stood Martin Pospisil up on an attempted move towards Jiri Patera's crease, recovered the puck, and quickly started forward in transition, recognizing that the Canucks had the numbers advantage on the 3-on-2.

Pettersson gained the zone along the left wing and dished back to the trailing Hughes, who went back to Pettersson after curling onto his backhand. Pettersson feigned a power move on Dustin Wolf and unselfishly passed to DeBrusk, who had an open net to deposit the game-winning goal into.

With that, the Canucks will be back on the ice for preseason game No. 3, facing the Seattle Kraken once again but this time at the Climate Pledge Arena on Friday at 7 p.m.