Evans prepares for first NHL outdoor game at Heritage Classic
The Canadiens forward expects an early adjustment to outdoor ice when Montreal faces Winnipeg on Sunday.
Jake Evans expects to simplify his play while he adjusts to outdoor ice in Sunday's Heritage Classic against the Winnipeg Jets. The Montreal Canadiens forward is preparing for his first NHL outdoor appearance at Princess Auto Stadium.
Writing in an NHL.com blog published Friday, Evans said a short skate the day before the game would give the Canadiens a chance to get accustomed to the conditions. He expects the ice to require a different approach, particularly early in the game.
The game in Winnipeg begins at 7 p.m. ET. Evans anticipates a noisy crowd with strong support for both clubs, and estimates that the audience will be about twice the size of a typical Canadiens crowd.
Evans has played outdoors before, in a junior game in Buffalo, but said he remembers little about that experience. He described Sunday's NHL event as an opportunity he had hoped to have when looking at the schedule.
He also said Montreal's season has been inconsistent so far, with the task now to turn confidence in the team's approach into more consistent execution.
