Former Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette returned to DC on Saturday for the second time since being let go over the offseason. His visit was likely not as fun as he’d hope it’d be.
The Rangers, who are clinging to a small lead in the Metropolitan Division, fell to the Capitals 3-2 — their fourth consecutive loss. It is the second time the Rangers have fallen to the Caps in three match-ups against each other this season.
After the game, Laviolette seemed to suggest that the Capitals’ third-period comeback victory was fluky. He also mentioned Anthony Mantha — but not by name — when describing the winger’s role in handing his team the loss.
“They had two chances in the third period. Scored on both of them,” Laviolette said. “Defensively, I thought we played a pretty good game. Their first goal came off of us trying to create offense, shoot the puck, and they sprung somebody for a breakaway. Two chances that we did give up in the third period, they threw a puck sideways at the net, it hit something, and it went in. And they scored two goals. We have to go home, regroup, and get ready for tomorrow.”
That somebody who scored on the breakaway was Mantha — a player Laviolette put in his proverbial dog house last season. Mantha was setup with a beautiful sauce pass by Connor McMichael, a young player Laviolette did not play much, forcing a demotion to the HersheyBears. There, McMichael helped lead the team to a Calder Cup.
The feed. The finish. A McManthony beauty. pic.twitter.com/uXZ2ktsZv1
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 13, 2024
Mantha’s first-period tally was his twelfth in 36 games this season — one more than he scored all of last year under Laviolette (67 games). The Capitals forward is now tied with eight other NHL players for 28th in the league in even-strength goals (11). Mantha ranks second on the Capitals in overall goals (12) and fourth in points (19).
Mantha’s turnaround comes after he was healthy-scratched by Laviolette six different times last season and was put on the trade block by GM Brian MacLellan.
“He can be a really dominant player when he wants to be,” Laviolette said of scratching Mantha last season. “I’d like to see some consistency with his game with regard to his speed and his pace.”
“I don’t think it’s necessarily the points and goals that (Laviolette is) mad about,” Mantha said. “It’s more the rest of (my) game… Just my work ethic. Right now that’s what I need to do if I want to get back in the lineup, and I’ll have to show them.”
After being humbled by his head coach, Mantha hired a mental coach during the season to cope.
“I started that a couple weeks after being scratched actually,” Mantha revealed. “It’s been helping. There’s a long ways to go but at least I know where I’ll be heading when I come back here next year.”
Mantha proceeded to lose nearly 10 pounds over the offseason. He had an encouraging preseason and has since found a permanent home with McMichael and Aliaksei Protas on the Capitals’ third line, playing with two other outcasts from the Laviolette Era.
Not only did Mantha get on the board, but the Rangers were also burned by Evgeny Kuznetsov during the Capitals’ third-period comeback. Kuzy threw a backhand shot on net that led to Nic Dowd’s game-tying goal.
Judy with some nifty hand-eye coordination pic.twitter.com/c3fQuSCZAA
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 13, 2024
The Capitals center had scathing remarks for Laviolette over the offseason, opining that the coach’s system did not fit with the team and he put players in positions to fail.
The two teams will not have to wait long to get reacquainted as they have a rematch on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
“We’ve got to win a game tomorrow,” Laviolette said of his Rangers team. “That’s the objective. Tomorrow we have to win a hockey game.”
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
