Former Vancouver Canuck Jake Virtanen takes the stand in own sexual assault trial

Former Vancouver Canuck Jake Virtanen testified in his own defence Thursday during his sexual assault trial in B.C. Supreme Court.

The 25-year-old is charged with one count of sexual assault related to an incident in his hotel room at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver on Sept. 26, 2017. He has maintained his innocence.

The name of the complainant, identified as MS, is protected by a publication ban.

Under questioning from his lawyer Colleen Elden, Virtanen broke down when asked to describe how he first heard about the allegation.

"We had just finished the game against the Maple Leafs. My agent Kevin Epp said I need to talk to [you] immediately. So I called him and he said a girl anonymously was going to come out and say I assaulted her," said Virtanen.

"I was in utter disbelief."

Virtanen maintains he and MS had consensual sex in his hotel room. Contrary to her testimony, he said MS never pushed him way or told him no, rather was a willing participant.

"Did she communicate consent?" asked Elden.

"Yes, she was an active and enthusiastic participant. Absolutely it felt like she was totally into it," said Virtanen.

Earlier, the defence led Virtanen in recounting his path to the NHL, being drafted by the Canucks in 2014 and signing a three year contract valued at $925,000 a year, noting the deal was highly publicized on sports TV and social media.

Virtanen said he met MS in July 2017 in the Cowboys tent at the Calgary Stampede, which he described as popular with NHL players. He said MS and her two friends came up to him and his friends and started chatting. He said even though they didn't talk about hockey he felt MS knew who he was because of the interest she showed in him.

MS testified earlier that when she first met