Former Notre Dame forward [autotag]Jake Evans[/autotag] had a rough 2022-23 season, missing over two months with an injury. He didn’t score after coming back, meaning his last goal of the season came Jan. 12. The new season already appears promising though.
Evans’ Montreal Canadiens played their first game of the year against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Early in the first period, he pounced on a turnover by TJ Brodie and had an easy breakaway. Despite the Leafs’ attempts to stop him, it was too little too late as he finished in front of the crease:
WELCOME BACK JAKE EVANS! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/5JZn9V9aRZ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 11, 2023
As exciting as the moment was for Evans, it proved to be a footnote in the game. Auston Matthews scored a hat trick, which included his 300th career goal to make him the fastest U.S.-born player to achieve that milestone. However, it took a shootout for the Leafs to defeat the Habs, 6-5.
While surely a disappointing outcome for Evans and his teammates, he at least has to be encouraged by this particular play. Here’s hoping he has many more of those over the next several months.
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