Canadiens center Jake Evans had to be stretchered off the ice toward the end of Montreal’s Game 1 win over the Winnipeg Jets after he was hit high by Mark Scheifele.
Evans, 25, scored a wrap-around goal on an empty net with 57 seconds left to put the Canadiens ahead 5-3, but was immediately hit by Scheifele on the play and knocked to the ice. Evans gave a thumbs up as he was stretchered off the ice.
Scheifele was assessed a five-minute major for charging and a 10-minute game misconduct.
“It was a dirty hit,” Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson said. “But the league’s going to take care of it. If he (Scheifele) gets back in the series, we’re going to make his life miserable.”
A scrum broke out along the boards where Evans was laying on the ice. Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers used his body to shield Evans from the players who were fighting.
“I was just trying to keep everyone away from him,” Ehlers said. “In a situation like that, you don’t want anyone falling on top of him. I was just trying to keep everyone away.”
This story will be updated. More to come.
