The Montreal Canadiens’ 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night was a fantastic showing. Rookie netminder Jacob Fowler got his first NHL shutout, as the Habs fired on all cylinders.
But the win was overshadowed by a tough loss. During the first period, center Jake Evans collided with the Penguins’ Justin Brazeau. The collision was of the knee-on-knee variety, leaving Evans in significant pain. He managed to hobble off the ice but did not return.
Here’s a look at the impact, as shown on the Sportsnet official X channel:
The Canadiens are already down two centers in Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach. Now, Evans could join them on the IR. The collision looked bad enough. But according to medical expert, Dr. Harjas Grewal, the injury could be a consequential one.
Grewal stated:
In the best of cases, some time off to recover from the soreness would suffice. Such cases may demand a couple of weeks off. However, as Grewal pointed out, an ACL injury could be on the table. If that’s the case, five months could be the prognosis for Evans.
Grewal didn’t get into the possibility of surgery. But then again, knee injuries always raise that concern. Here’s hoping that Evans will just need a couple of days off and some painkillers to get over the awful collision.
Canadiens Have Danault to Pick Up the Slack
The Canadiens landed Phillip Danault in a trade hours before the roster freeze on Friday night. The deal was crucial as Montreal is down several forwards. Now that Evans will likely join them, Danault is an even more important figure for the team.
The Habs will play the second leg of their back-to-back set with the Penguins this week on Sunday at the PPG Paints Arena. Danault won’t be in the lineup, but he could jump into the fray soon enough.
He will be a welcome addition to the Canadiens’ forward group as the club needs to get as many NHL-caliber centers as possible. Behind captain Nick Suzuki, the Habs will likely deploy Oliver Kapanen, Owen Beck, and Joe Veleno down the middle. Needless to say, the Canadiens need as much depth at center as they can get this season.
Montreal Hanging Tough in Atlantic Division
The Canadiens have rebounded from a bit of a tough stretch to notch two straight wins. They remain in second place in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the Detroit Red Wings. The Habs are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and looking to continue rolling.
The Habs have gotten solid goaltending from Fowler and Jakub Dobes. The young tandem has emerged as an unlikely combination to lead the club back into the win column. Fowler’s shutout on Saturday night bodes well for the Canadiens as they look to find the stability that Samuel Montembeault did not provide earlier this season.
While it’s still early to write off Montembeault, the Canadiens have gotten the lift they’ve needed. That will be crucial as the race for the top three spots in the Atlantic remains close. Meanwhile, other clubs like the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers are creeping up behind them.
Canadiens Fear Worst for Evans: Medical Expert