<p>WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Eric Staal scored early goals and Montreal beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the second-round series, a victory tempered by a scary late-game hit on Canadiens center Jake Evans.</p>
<p>Evans was taken off the ice on a stretcher with 57 seconds left after being crushed by Jets center Mark Scheifele on an empty-net goal. Evans chased down the puck behind the net and was hit high as he tightly circled back around the goal cage to score.</p>
<p>Nick Suzuki, Brendan Gallagher and Jake Evans also scored for Montreal, Joel Edmundson and Jeff Petry each had two assists and Carey Price made 27 saves.</p>
<p>Adam Lowry, Derek Forbort and Kyle Connor scored for Winnipeg, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 28 shots. </p>
<p>Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night in Winnipeg.</p>
<p>Fans were allowed inside Bell MTS Place for the first time this season. The Manitoba government allowed 500 fully vaccinated health-care workers to attend.</p>
<p>It was Winnipeg’s first game since May 24, when it swept the Edmonton Oilers. Montreal overcame a 3-1 series deficit and eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night in Game 7.</p>
