Canucks down Flames at prospects tournament
Posted Sep 12, 2011 09:19:14 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
PENTICTON (NEWS1130) – Nathan Longpre scored his second goal of the game to tie it with 15.4 seconds left and then set up the overtime winner as the Canucks beat the Flames 4-3 at a prospects tournament.
After Michael Ferland put the Flames in front in the third period, Longpre’s strong play had him out in the dying seconds as the Canucks looked to pull even. His coach’s confidence paid off as the 23-year-old found the net and forced overtime.
Just 16 seconds into the extra frame Longpre drove the puck to the net and with the rebound sitting in front Antoine Roussel came in and buried it to give the Canucks the victory.
Longpre’s two goals and an assist wasn’t the only big story out of Canucks camp though. Goaltender Karel St. Laurent who’s in the Okanagan on a tryout with the team was stellar in the Canucks net, stopping 42 of 45 shots in the victory.
St. Laurent is familiar with the Lower Mainland as he played 32 games with the Surrey Eagles of the BCHL last season. He had a record of 19-12-1 with a goals against average of 2.74.
Coach Craig MacTavish had nothing but positive things to say about the young netminder after the game. “Tonight Karl was outstanding and it was typical Flames hockey where there was battle for position in front of the goal and hack and whack and that’s how they got a couple of goals, but he had a lot of action.”
The Canucks prospects are back in action on Thursday at 4 p.m. when they face the San Jose Sharks.
