And how do you like the series between the Canadiens and Capitals so far?
After two games, it’s safe to say that the CH isn’t being downgraded. It doesn’t look like a last-place club, but it doesn’t look like a real playoff club either. It looks like a mix team… which was the organization’s main objective at the start of the season.
But for the CH to be able to be more successful, they also need a little more help from their supporting players. Like Jake Evans…
The Canadiens’ center has scored just one goal since signing his new contract in early March.
And that goal was scored in an empty net.
But we can take it a step further: Evans’ last two goals were scored when there was no goalie on the other side of the rink.
The last time Jake Evans beat a goalie was on January 21.
And that was over three months ago. Today is April 24…
Evans had given his team the win by scoring late in the game, when the Lightning were visiting the Bell Centre:
Jake Evans has a role to play in the Habs’ lineup because he’s good on the power play.
He’s not the only one to point the finger at right now… because only three players have scored since the start of the playoffs for the Habs.
We’re talking about Christian Dvorak, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
But Evans must also be able to help his club offensively. He gets chances to score… but he can’t convert them.
If Evans had put it in last night, the series might be tied 1-1 today. And I wouldn’t be writing this…
It takes better production from everyone and at this level, I wonder if Martin St-Louis wanted to boost Evans by putting Ivan Demidov on his trio last night.
The experiment didn’t work, but the coach tried anyway.
All in all, it’s going to take some goals to beat the Capitals in the playoffs. And if the supporting players aren’t able to contribute – as is the case with Evans and the others right now – the guys are going to find themselves on a golf course soon enough.
