Mantha, who grew up in close by Longueuil, Quebec, mentioned he had roughly 30 family and friends members within the stands.

“It’s superior,” he mentioned. “Lots of people had been excited to see me play. … It was good to see household and pals [Friday] and good to place up a efficiency for them tonight.”

Mantha’s second objective 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 pair guys that had huge nights,” Coach Peter Laviolette mentioned. “All people was searching for somewhat little bit of redemption coming off the final recreation the place we didn’t play the best way we wished to play, and Anthony had an enormous night time.”

Mantha, who missed 45 video games after having shoulder surgical procedure in November, appears to be discovering his type on the proper time.

“It’s actually good having him again due to his measurement, due to the best way he may be bodily and his talent degree and the best way he can contribute to our group and assist our group when he’s on his recreation,” Laviolette mentioned. “It’s good to see him get again and get in a rhythm.”

Washington (42-23-10), which then added 4 extra targets 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 towards Colorado.

Mantha’s strikes unlocked what had been a good recreation to that time. His first objective 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 present the Capitals a 2-1 lead.

Mantha’s second objective, a half-beat later, got here on a breakaway, once more arrange by Eller.

Ovechkin closed out the interval by ending a blinding drive-and-dish from Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Time is operating brief for Ilya Samsonov to take Caps’ high spot in internet

Montreal tried to battle again within the third with Ryan Poehling’s second objective of the night time early within the body. Nonetheless, 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 objective, which deflected in off his skate.

Vitek Vanecek obtained the beginning in internet towards Montreal after Ilya Samsonov was pulled after permitting 4 targets on 19 pictures in Toronto on Thursday. Vanecek (28 saves) was stable early towards the Canadiens, making a few breakaway saves to maintain the sport scoreless earlier than Nic Dowd put the guests on high.

Dowd scored by deflecting in Orlov’s shot. It was Dowd’s tenth objective of the season, and it gave him two targets and three assists in his previous seven video games.

Montreal appeared to attain on the facility play minutes later, however the objective was waved off after a overview decided Rem Pitlick made a “distinct kicking movement.”

Vanecek had 15 saves in a formidable first interval, however his first main error got here 1:56 into the center body. Jake Evans tied the sport up at 1 together with his slap shot off the push that went over Vanecek’s shoulder and into the web. Mantha’s pair of targets later within the interval pushed the Capitals forward for good. They had been the quickest back-to-back targets by a Capitals participant this season.

Right here’s what else to know concerning the Capitals’ victory:

Orlov had a four-point night time in his first recreation again within the lineup after he missed the earlier two video games with a lower-body harm. Orlov has been one among Washington’s high blue-liners subsequent to Nick Jensen. The pair typically have been tasked with defending the opposition’s high ahead traces.

Orlov has tied his profession excessive with 34 factors (12 targets, 22 assists) this season.

The Bruins beat the Penguins, 2-1, on Saturday, tightening the race within the Jap Convention. 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 harm final week and is listed as “week-to-week.” Pittsburgh’s backup goalie, Casey DeSmith, appears 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 shouldn’t be planning to sit down any of its key veterans forward of the postseason. Nicklas Backstrom sat out final Sunday’s recreation towards Boston, however Laviolette mentioned that was a one-time choice based mostly on Backstrom’s prolonged harm rehab to begin the season.

“There are video games that I really feel like we will roll the minutes and take a man that may be taking part in 22 minutes and solely play 17 or 18, however there was by no means an intention to sit down gamers or take gamers out of the lineup down the stretch,” Laviolette mentioned. “And definitely not at this level, with this many video games to go.”