Photo: NHL via Getty Images

The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Thursday evening that Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele has been suspended for four games for charging forward Jake Evans in the third period of Game 1 of the second-round Stanley Cup Playoff series.

Evans skated around the net before Schiefele leveled him with a high hit that appeared to knock him out. Evans, who turned 25 on Wednesday, appeared to be unconscious after taking the hit.

A scrum broke out after the hit with many of the Canadiens players on the ice going after Schiefele, who has never been suspended in his NHL career. Schiefele was assessed a game misconduct.

According to Canadiens forward Corey Perry, Evans was not talking but could move around before leaving the ice.

Dominique Ducharme confirms that Jake Evans is doing better, and was not hospitalized following an evaluation by team doctors. He will be out for an undetermined period of time.

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 3, 2021

Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme said that Evans stayed at Bell MTS Place and was doing better but still being evaluated. He called the hit by Schiefele “useless” and is confident that the NHL will handle any supplemental discipline but would not go into further detail.

Joel Edmundson comments on Mark Scheifele’s hit on Jake Evans. pic.twitter.com/kPn3vu0DMf

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 3, 2021

Game 2 at Bell MTS Place will be Friday (7:30 PM ET, USA).

By Harrison Brown