BOSTON | Jake Evans had ended his meeting with the reporters in the opposing team’s small dressing room at TD Garden. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge while continuing to talk about the Jan. 14 game against the Long Islanders.
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“If you watch the replay, I won that faceoff, the puck went to our side, but on the goal sheet they wrote I lost the faceoff.”
Not only did Evans lose a faceoff, but he found himself in the faceoff circle against Brock Nelson with just two seconds left in the first quarter. The tall Islanders center poked his rival with his stick and then fell on top of him.
Nelson, a 6-foot-4, 212-pound center, fell to Evans, who couldn’t take the hit. CH number 71 injured his left knee during this sequence.
“It was a minor face-off with two seconds (2.6 seconds) to go, to be honest. I was trying to win it and a guy a lot taller than me fell on my knee, Evans recalled. I was quite concerned at the time, it was like my knee had come off my body. But we avoided the surgery, which was positive. I’m just happy to be able to end the season with the team. »
However, Evans held no grudge against Nelson.
“I call it the graveyard games at the end of the period that mean nothing,” the Ontarian said. I try to win them all. I regret nothing. It was just an unfortunate coincidence. »
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A little over two months after that incident, Evans will face the Bruins again on Thursday at the TD Garden. The doctors had spoken of an absence of eight to ten weeks. So there was no delay in his recovery.
“It’s exciting,” Evans said. I like challenges. I’ve been thinking about this comeback for a long time and I’m looking forward to coming back. I knew it would be this week and they turned out to be the best team in the league. I like challenges. »
Opposite the Bruins, Evans will play center Rem Pitlick and Brendan Gallahger.
“Jake is a very smart player who understands the game,” said Gallagher. It’s easy to play with. We think the same. He’s good at the game. It’s always easier to play with players who think the game the same way you do. »
“He’s a guy who plays 200-foot hockey,” added Martin St-Louis. He helps in penalty shoot-outs and five-a-side. He has good experience in the NHL and you know what to expect from him. I also like his commitment. »
Without Ylonen and Harris
Jesse Ylönen and Jordan Harris will not be in uniform for morning practice in Boston. Chris Wideman, who received treatment in the morning, will be at his post on the blue line.
Jake Allen will get the start for the CH. He meets Jeremy Swayman.
The likely formation of CH
RHP Suzuki Hoffman
Drouin-Dach-Gurianov
Pitlick-Evans-Gallagher
Pezzetta-Tierney-Belzile
Matheson Savard
Edmundson Wideman
Kovacevic-Barron
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