A Canadiens player was taken off the ice in a stretcher after being knocked out cold by a 'dirty' hit

• Canadiens forward Jake Evans was knocked out by a vicious hit from Jets center Mark Scheifele.
• Canadiens players called the hit "dirty" and said they hope the NHL punishes Scheifele.
• Scheifele faces a maximum suspension of five games.

A scary scene unfolded in Game 1 between the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets when Canadiens forward Jake Evans had to be taken off the ice in a stretcher after a brutal hit.

The incident occurred with one minute left in the third period when Evans skated to the Jets' empty net for an easy goal. As he rounded the empty net and put the puck in, Jets center Mark Scheifele came barreling in, hitting an unsuspecting Evans, sending him airborne and onto the ice.

Evans immediately went motionless on the ice. A referee and Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers quickly protected Evans as a skirmish between the two teams unfolded.

Watch the play below:

Evans was taken off the ice in a stretcher. Scheifele was given a five-minute major penalty for charging and game misconduct.

After the game, Canadiens players called Scheifele's hit "dirty."

"It was a dirty hit," defenseman Joel Edmundson said. "But the league's going to take care of it. If he gets back in the series, we're going to make his life miserable."

Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi called the play "disgusting."

Scheifele has a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety on Thursday. He faces a maximum suspension of five games, which could be in store, as Scheifele didn't attempt to make a play on the puck, instead going right for Evans' body.

So far, the Canadiens have not provided an update on Evans, though NHL sportscaster John Shannon tweeted that Evans was at the Canadiens' hotel and "alert."