Anyone can relate to the feeling of homesickness. Whether young or old, many of us have found ourselves longing for home and our mothers' home-cooked meals. For Nashville Predators winger Luke Evangelista, that home-cooked meal and an elevated role turned out to be the recipe for success against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Head Coach Andrew Brunette moved Evangelista up to the top line ahead of a home game against the Leafs. With it being the team he grew up cheering for, this promotion felt all the more special. Making good on this new chance, the young winger scored three points for the fourth time in his career.
Playing alongside centremen Ryan O'Reilly and winger Filip Forsberg at even strength, Evangelista also saw time on the second powerplay unit. Early in the second, he was able to help assist on Michael Bunting's first goal as a Predator, on the powerplay.
Later that same period, Evangelista would make a nifty touch pass in the neutral zone to Forsberg. Powering to the net after a nice toe drag, Forsberg would poke the puck in giving Nashville the lead. Perhaps these two are showing some chemistry as later in the game they'd connect for another goal.
In the third, Forsberg and Evangelista extended the Preds' lead with a nice give-and-go. Evangelista dropped the puck to Forsberg, then skated to the front of the net. Forsberg got the puck across and Toronto-born Evangelista fired the puck in. A beautiful play for his seventh of the year.
The young winger is now up to 7 goals and 15 assists in 55 games played. That's a 33-point pace over a full season, the lowest of his short career. With 15 minutes total time on ice last night, however, this role has given him an extra 2 minutes compared to this season's average. Is this enough to get his scoring back on track?
Despite a surprise win for Nashville over Toronto, the playoffs are out of reach and have been for some time.
Down the stretch the youth on this team needs to be given the longest of leashes. They also need to be given the most opportunity, and Evangelista looks to be. If he can stick on the top line perhaps the trio can build chemistry into next season.
Evangelista is set to become a restricted free agent when this season ends, so showing what he can do down the stretch will be important to earn a new deal.