Montreal Canadiens forward Jake Evans will be able to play against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night, two days after hitting the boards hard.
Evans did not finish the game on Tuesday, in which the Canadiens lost 7-4 to the Florida Panthers. He needed help to leave the ice after falling on a breakaway and hitting the boards.
Interim head coach Martin St. Louis said Evans was feeling good, and that he participated in the Habs' morning practice Thursday after skipping practice the day before.
In 58 games this season, Evans has nine goals and 12 assists.
Forward Mathieu Perreault will be left out, while Tyler Pitlick will also make a return to action after missing two games with an upper-body injury.
Pitlick has been limited to two assists in 27 games so far this campaign. The Habs (18-38-11) have won just one of their last five games (1-2-2).
Jake Allen will defend the Habs' net.
The Hurricanes (44-15-8) have picked up at least one point in their last five games (3-0-2).
Head coach Rod Brind'Amour announced that forward and former Hab Jesperi Kotkaniemi will be sidelined for at least two weeks with a lower-body injury.
Kotkaniemi, 21, went down with a hard check from Lars Eller in the final moments of a 6-1 Hurricanes win over the Washington Capitals on Monday.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 31, 2022.
