The Montreal Canadiens have taken Game 1 against the Winnipeg Jets. In a wowing first game in the second round of playoffs, Montreal silenced the Jets early. They got up on the score sheet just 3:30 into the game with a goal from Jesperi Kokaniemi. He has been on fire in the playoffs so far so can’t be shocked he’s the one getting Montreal started. After that, Eric Staal gave the Habs a 2-1 lead just 5:10 in. Winnipeg got a shorty at 11:52 but Nick Suzuki kept things at arms length with another goal at 17:14.
The Habs kept it 3-1 though the middle frame. Then in the 3rd, the Jets got another on the board at 9:22. Brendan Gallagher gave the Habs some insurance with a PPG just 2 minutes later. Once again, the Jets get another one back and but Jake Evans gets an empty netter to finish the game 5-3. Here are the highlights:
This series, as you can tell, is going to be very back and forth. The Habs had that little edge of power and momentum over the rested Jets, who sat about a week after sweeping Edmonton. I think Montreal will keep that energy going now that they know how to get on the Jets. You can tell that the Habs are under Winnipeg’s skin.
Now, the Habs are going to be out for vengeance after Mark Scheifele put Jake Evans on a stretcher after that dirty hit at the end of the game. I really hope Evans (whose 25th birthday was today) is going to be okay. That hit was completely uncalled for by Scheifele. Your team is losing 5-3, sure be mad, but don’t go leveling a guy like that. The league is going to be addressing that (Scheifele got a charging call and a game misconduct) and I hope he gets a game. I’m at the point where I’m not even taking guesses at suspensions or penalties because sometimes the league just lets it go. It’s insanity. Friedman gave the charging rule:
So I think the hit was dirty and uncalled for but I’m not even going to fancy a guess at sus or fine. The DoPS has a lot of room to work with so who the hell knows what kind of shit they’re going to spew. To also be noted with all of that sadness is Nikolaj Ehlers. Ehlers stood and held the scuffle back so they didn’t accidentally land on Evans when he was laying on the ice. Good on Nikolaj for that.
As I said, this series, much like I think with the Avalanche/Golden Knights, is going to have bad blood dripping between them. That hit was horseshit and if Scheifele is back in this series, the Habs are going to give him hell. I’m happy the Habs won, I have them clearing through this series. Now we just wait for news on Evans and Game 2 Friday night.
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