<p>Well, that was a great first impression of Daniel Sprong in a <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/stanchie-surprise-15-observations-canucks-win-flames">Vancouver Canucks</a> uniform.</p>
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<p>Sprong suited up in the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/instant-reaction-sprong-debrusk-score-canucks-flames-overtime">Canucks&#8217; second preseason game against the Calgary Flames</a> on Wednesday night and was certainly noticeable. He skated on a line with two guys familiar with playing in the Abbotsford Centre, Arshdeep Bains and Aatu Räty.</p>
<p>Their line generated offence all night; Bains finished the game with three shots on goal, Räty had one, and Sprong led the way with four shots on goal – including this shot at the tail end of the second period that rung right off the post.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Daniel Sprong rips a shot off the post! </p>
<p>He&#39;s come close to scoring a few times tonight. <a href="https://t.co/fUqgz3Pd5w">pic.twitter.com/fUqgz3Pd5w</a></p>
<p>&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1839146681327083986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The biggest question mark surrounding Sprong&#8217;s game is in the defensive zone. He&#8217;s a wizard in the offensive zone and has proven that by scoring 20 goals and 40 points in back-to-back seasons while never eclipsing 12 minutes of average ice time.</p>
<p>Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has talked about how he wants to see Sprong round out his defensive game. While it was just one preseason game, Sprong thinks he and his linemates did that tonight and are inching closer to where he needs to be to fulfill that goal.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Yeah, for sure. During training camp, we [he and Tocchet] talked [about the] little plays. Even today, in the third, there was one I chipped out and we just talked [that] I should [have] probably stayed on the ice there. I think, in general, with the two guys today [his linemates Bains and Räty] we didn&#8217;t give up much defensively so I was kind of more focused on that. I know the offence is going to be there.&#8221;</p>
<p>After losing the lead off two third period goals by the Flames, the Canucks were in need of a comeback. With under a minute left in the period, Flames forward Martin Pospisil took a delay of game penalty. Tocchet trusted Sprong in that 6-on-4, and he made the most of that opportunity.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Daniel Sprong scores a ridiculous goal! He dangles through the entire Flames team and ties the game at 3&#39;s! </p>
<p>We are off to overtime! <a href="https://t.co/fe341br8ao">pic.twitter.com/fe341br8ao</a></p>
<p>&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1839164184115753168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Sprong collected the Flames&#8217; clearing attempt in his own end of the ice and gained speed through the neutral zone. Once he arrived at the blueline, Sprong made a slick move to deke the defender and was already behind all four of the Flames on the ice. With only the goalie to beat, he fakes a backhand move, drags it to his forehand right in front of the netminder, and makes no mistake in tying the game with 14 seconds remaining.</p>
<p>&#8220;I felt like Quinn [Hughes] out there a little bit dancing,&#8221; Sprong joked as he detailed his game-tying goal. &#8220;No but time was running down, I had speed and then made the move. That&#8217;s part of my game, really aggressive off the rush and got an opportunity to show that at the end.&#8221;</p>
<p>Sprong further detailed how his first game playing with Hughes went.</p>
<p>&#8220;Yeah you just see him walking the blue[line] or spinning away [from defenders],&#8221; Sprong raved about his new captain. &#8220;I was out there a couple times with him and just watch, stand there. You know, he&#8217;s a Norris winner for a reason, it&#8217;s only preseason but he looked great out there tonight and he has high hopes for himself and I&#8217;m sure this team does too. So it&#8217;s going to be exciting to watch him all season.&#8221;</p>
<p>Entering his eighth NHL season, Sprong has suited up for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Washington Capitals, Seattle Kraken, and Detroit Red Wings. The Dutch forward expressed his excitement about playing in front of the Abbotsford crowd and his first game with Canadian support behind him.</p>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s fun. I&#8217;ve always played against the Canadian teams, so now being on the other side of it, you kind of realize how loud they are for you. So it was nice to play here and get the first one out of the way.&#8221;</p>
<p>Sprong and the Canucks will have Thursday off before travelling to <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/instant-reaction-arturs-silovs-canucks-win-kraken">Seattle for another date with the Kraken</a>. We&#8217;ll see if Sprong gets into the lineup to follow up a strong Canucks debut.</p>
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Well, that was a great first impression of Daniel Sprong in a <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/stanchie-surprise-15-observations-canucks-win-flames">Vancouver Canucks</a> uniform.
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Sprong suited up in the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/instant-reaction-sprong-debrusk-score-canucks-flames-overtime">Canucks' second preseason game against the Calgary Flames</a> on Wednesday night and was certainly noticeable. He skated on a line with two guys familiar with playing in the Abbotsford Centre, Arshdeep Bains and Aatu Räty.

Their line generated offence all night; Bains finished the game with three shots on goal, Räty had one, and Sprong led the way with four shots on goal – including this shot at the tail end of the second period that rung right off the post.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1839146681327083986

The biggest question mark surrounding Sprong's game is in the defensive zone. He's a wizard in the offensive zone and has proven that by scoring 20 goals and 40 points in back-to-back seasons while never eclipsing 12 minutes of average ice time.

Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has talked about how he wants to see Sprong round out his defensive game. While it was just one preseason game, Sprong thinks he and his linemates did that tonight and are inching closer to where he needs to be to fulfill that goal."

"Yeah, for sure. During training camp, we [he and Tocchet] talked [about the] little plays. Even today, in the third, there was one I chipped out and we just talked [that] I should [have] probably stayed on the ice there. I think, in general, with the two guys today [his linemates Bains and Räty] we didn't give up much defensively so I was kind of more focused on that. I know the offence is going to be there."

After losing the lead off two third period goals by the Flames, the Canucks were in need of a comeback. With under a minute left in the period, Flames forward Martin Pospisil took a delay of game penalty. Tocchet trusted Sprong in that 6-on-4, and he made the most of that opportunity.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1839164184115753168

Sprong collected the Flames' clearing attempt in his own end of the ice and gained speed through the neutral zone. Once he arrived at the blueline, Sprong made a slick move to deke the defender and was already behind all four of the Flames on the ice. With only the goalie to beat, he fakes a backhand move, drags it to his forehand right in front of the netminder, and makes no mistake in tying the game with 14 seconds remaining.

"I felt like Quinn [Hughes] out there a little bit dancing," Sprong joked as he detailed his game-tying goal. "No but time was running down, I had speed and then made the move. That's part of my game, really aggressive off the rush and got an opportunity to show that at the end."

Sprong further detailed how his first game playing with Hughes went.

"Yeah you just see him walking the blue[line] or spinning away [from defenders]," Sprong raved about his new captain. "I was out there a couple times with him and just watch, stand there. You know, he's a Norris winner for a reason, it's only preseason but he looked great out there tonight and he has high hopes for himself and I'm sure this team does too. So it's going to be exciting to watch him all season."

Entering his eighth NHL season, Sprong has suited up for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Washington Capitals, Seattle Kraken, and Detroit Red Wings. The Dutch forward expressed his excitement about playing in front of the Abbotsford crowd and his first game with Canadian support behind him.

"It's fun. I've always played against the Canadian teams, so now being on the other side of it, you kind of realize how loud they are for you. So it was nice to play here and get the first one out of the way."

Sprong and the Canucks will have Thursday off before travelling to <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/instant-reaction-arturs-silovs-canucks-win-kraken">Seattle for another date with the Kraken</a>. We'll see if Sprong gets into the lineup to follow up a strong Canucks debut.

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