Montreal’s Jake Evans scores an empty-net goal as Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele comes in to hit him on Wednesday in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series. Scheifele received a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. Associated Press photos
Even in a sport known for controversial hits, the way Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele leveled Jake Evans Wednesday night infuriated both casual fans and his Montreal Canadiens teammates, who called it “disgusting” and promised to make life “miserable” for Scheifele in their second-round playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets.
The hit, which left Evans lying motionless on the ice before he was taken off on a stretcher, came after an empty-net goal in the final minute of the Canadiens’ 5-3 victory in Game 1 in Winnipeg. Evans had just scored on a wraparound from behind the Jets’ vacant net when Scheifele, coming in at full speed, skated into the 25-year-old forward, who hit his head as he fell to the ice. Players gathered in a scrum around him, with Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers shielding Evans from the traffic.
Evans, who gave a thumbs-up as he was taken off, was not hospitalized and reportedly was with the Canadiens at their hotel. Scheifele received a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct, and the NHL’s Department of Player Safety handed him a four-game suspension Thursday night.
Evans’s teammates were furious; Jesperi Kotkaniemi called the play “disgusting.”
“No respect for the other players out there,” he said. “I’m not saying anything more than that.”
Kotkaniemi bumped fists with Evans as he was being wheeled off the ice.
“Just seeing him moving after a thing like that, it’s huge,” Kotkaniemi said. “Even getting the fist bump, you know, it’s great to see that. I’m feeling much easier now just knowing he’s OK.”
“It was a dirty hit,” Joel Edmundson said, “but the league’s going to take care of it. If he gets back in the series, we’re going to make his life miserable.”
Jets Coach Paul Maurice acknowledged it was a big hit by Scheifele.
“Well, hopefully the young man is going to be all right,” Maurice said after the game. “It’s such a highly unusual play because you’re backchecking back to kill an empty-net play, you’re coming full speed. When Mark stopped skating he kept his arms in. It’s a heavy, heavy hit. There’s no doubt about that. I’m sure the league will have its opinion.”
Jets captain Blake Wheeler expressed concern about Evans.
“Just hope he’s OK,” Wheeler said. “I mean, that’s it. Really, that’s all. That’s the concern. It’s never good to see a guy on the ice for that amount of time and the stretcher out is scary.”
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