"Nearly a year ago Karel St. Laurent was wondering if his professional hockey dreams were over.

After an outstanding performance in the Canucks prospects' 4-3 overtime win over the Calgary Flames prospects, St. Laurent's aspirations appear to be very much alive.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound goaltender, who's here on tryout contract, delivered a 44-save beauty, while centre Nathan Longpre – also on a tryout – had two goals and assisted on the OT winner just 16 seconds into the extra period.

St. Laurent, 20, who put in a solid 24:12 of relief, stopping 13 of 14 shots, in Sunday's 7-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers prospects, fround himself without a team to play for last October when he was cut by the St. John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior League.

"It was pretty hard," said St. Laurent, who's from the Montreal suburb of Ville Ste-Catherine "I'd been drafted by St. John so it was home for me and at first I was pretty down. But I talked with family and friends and there was a future for me.""