[UPDATE: Scheifele has been suspended for four games.]
After being taken off the ice on a stretcher, it’s not yet clear if Jake Evans will need to be hospitalized after a vicious Mark Scheifele hit. It’s clear that Jets and Canadiens players had opinions about the Scheifele hit on Evans from Game 1, even if some were more willing to share them than others.
Evans suffered a concussion and will be out indefinitely.
Jets, Canadiens react to Scheifele hit on Evans from Game 1
Of all the Scheifele - Evans hit reactions so far, Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson probably gave the boldest comment.
“It was a dirty hit. But the league’s going to take care of it,” Edmundson said, via ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. “If he gets back in the series, we’re going to make his life miserable.”
Jesperi Kotkaniemi called the hit “disgusting,” but tried to stay measured with his overall response. Meanwhile, Brendan Gallagher said that Scheifele should “know better.”
"It’s brutal. Didn’t need to happen, wrong play. He knows better."
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 3, 2021
Brendan Gallagher commented on Mark Scheifele’s hit on Jake Evans: pic.twitter.com/Ok0gNNqytK
Jets coach Paul Maurice started by saying that he hopes Jake Evans is OK. It might be notable that his defense of the hit was fairly muted.
#NHLJets coach Paul Maurice, on Mark Scheifele's hit on Jake Evans: "Hopefully the young man's going to be alright. It's such a highly unusual play. You're backchecking back to kill an empty-net play, you're coming at full speed."
— Mike McIntyre (@mikemcintyrewpg) June 3, 2021
JETS VS. CANADIENS - series livestream link
Game 1: Canadiens 5, Jets 3
Game 2: Fri. June 4: Canadiens at Jets, 7:30 p.m. ET (USA Network)
Game 3: Sun. June 6: Jets at Canadiens, 6 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Game 4: Mon. June 7: Jets at Canadiens, 8 p.m. ET (NHL Network)
*Game 5: Wed. June 9: Canadiens at Jets TBD
*Game 6: Fri. June 11: Jets at Canadiens TBD
*Game 7: Sun. June 13: Canadiens at Jets TBD
—
James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.