Mantha, who grew up in close by Longueuil, Quebec, stated he had roughly 30 family and friends members within the stands.
“It’s awesome,” he stated. “A lot of people were excited to see me play. … It was good to see family and friends [Friday] and good to put up a performance for them tonight.”
Mantha’s second purpose made it 3-1 with 11:23 left within the interval. Alex Ovechkin added his forty seventh earlier than the interval was out.
“We had a couple guys that had big nights,” Coach Peter Laviolette stated. “Everybody was looking for a little bit of redemption coming off the last game where we didn’t play the way we wanted to play, and Anthony had a big night.”
Mantha, who missed 45 video games after having shoulder surgical procedure in November, appears to be discovering his kind at the appropriate time.
“It is really good having him back because of his size, because of the way he can be physical and his skill level and the way he can contribute to our team and help our team when he is on his game,” Laviolette stated. “It is nice to see him get back and get in a rhythm.”
Washington (42-23-10), which then added 4 extra objectives within the third, rebounded from a dismal 7-3 blowout loss Thursday at Toronto. Montreal (20-44-11) was taking part in its second recreation in as many nights.
Washington will proceed its five-game highway journey Monday in opposition to Colorado.
Mantha’s strikes unlocked what had been a decent recreation to that time. His first purpose got here after an extended go from Dmitry Orlov to Lars Eller, who tipped the puck to a speeding Mantha. Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault stopped Mantha’s first drive, however Mantha tipped in his personal rebound to provide the Capitals a 2-1 lead.
Mantha’s second purpose, a half-beat later, got here on a breakaway, once more arrange by Eller.
Ovechkin closed out the interval by ending a stunning drive-and-dish from Evgeny Kuznetsov.
Montreal tried to combat again within the third with Ryan Poehling’s second purpose of the evening early within the body. However, Garnet Hathaway, Orlov and Justin Schultz all beat Montembeault to push the result in 7-3. Nick Suzuki scored for Montreal with about 5 minutes left earlier than T.J. Oshie produced the sport’s remaining purpose, which deflected in off his skate.
Vitek Vanecek acquired the beginning in internet in opposition to Montreal after Ilya Samsonov was pulled after permitting 4 objectives on 19 pictures in Toronto on Thursday. Vanecek (28 saves) was strong early in opposition to the Canadiens, making a few breakaway saves to maintain the sport scoreless earlier than Nic Dowd put the guests on prime.
Dowd scored by deflecting in Orlov’s shot. It was Dowd’s tenth purpose of the season, and it gave him two objectives and three assists in his previous seven video games.
Montreal appeared to attain on the ability play minutes later, however the purpose was waved off after a overview decided Rem Pitlick made a “distinct kicking motion.”
Vanecek had 15 saves in a powerful first interval, however his first main error got here 1:56 into the center body. Jake Evans tied the sport up at 1 along with his slap shot off the push that went over Vanecek’s shoulder and into the online. Mantha’s pair of objectives later within the interval pushed the Capitals forward for good. They have been the quickest back-to-back objectives by a Capitals participant this season.
Here’s what else to know concerning the Capitals’ victory:
Orlov had a four-point evening in his first recreation again within the lineup after he missed the earlier two video games with a lower-body damage. Orlov has been one in all Washington’s prime blue-liners subsequent to Nick Jensen. The pair typically have been tasked with defending the opposition’s prime ahead strains.
Orlov has tied his profession excessive with 34 factors (12 objectives, 22 assists) this season.
The Bruins beat the Penguins, 2-1, on Saturday, tightening the race within the Eastern Conference. The Capitals (94 factors) path Pittsburgh by three factors however have two video games in hand. If the postseason began tomorrow, Washington, which sits within the second wild-card spot within the East, would play Florida.
The Penguins introduced Saturday that No. 1 goaltender Tristan Jarry suffered a lower-body damage final week and is listed as “week-to-week.” Pittsburgh’s backup goalie, Casey DeSmith, seems to be poised to guide the Penguins into the playoffs until Jarry’s restoration timeline is shorter than projected.
With seven video games left within the common season, Washington isn’t planning to take a seat any of its key veterans forward of the postseason. Nicklas Backstrom sat out final Sunday’s recreation in opposition to Boston, however Laviolette stated that was a one-time resolution based mostly on Backstrom’s prolonged damage rehab to start out the season.
“There are games that I feel like we can roll the minutes and take a guy that can be playing 22 minutes and only play 17 or 18, but there was never an intention to sit players or take players out of the lineup down the stretch,” Laviolette stated. “And certainly not at this point, with this many games to go.”