Capitals’ Mantha A Healthy Scratch For Second Straight Game

While the lines for the Washington Capitals could see a shakeup against the Philadelphia Flyers, Anthony Mantha will remain out of the mix on Wednesday and be a healthy scratch for the second straight game.

Head coach Peter Laviolette told reporters on Wednesday that the Capitals will play the same lineup they had for Sunday in a 1-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, meaning that Mantha, along with Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Matt Irwin, will be the scratches as Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson get back up to speed in the mix.

Sunday marked the first time in Mantha's D.C. tenure that he was a healthy scratch, which happened on a few occasions back when he was with the Detroit Red Wings. Through 42 games this season, Mantha has nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points, and he is a minus-2. The 6-5, 234-pound winger said that Laviolette's decision to scratch him was a "wake-up call," and all he can do is work toward earning his spot back. He also didn't believe that the scratch had to do with his point production.

“I think I had a good stretch, a bad stretch. It’s part of hockey, I don’t think I was playing terrible. Obviously, the minutes were going down… you kind of knew it was coming. [Confidence] is not as easy to switch on and off you know?

"Work out, work, practice like today and practice tomorrow and I’ll be ready if there’s an injury or if I’m called upon. That’s all can do… I think [it's] 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."

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Laviolette said that he spoke with Mantha about it and acknowledged that No. 39 wasn't happy with the decision, but added he'll get back in the mix eventually and it's all about balancing the 14 healthy forwards the team now has.

"We talked, and he's frustrated, as he should be," Laviolette pointed out. "If you're in this room, you want to play.

"He'll get back in there. These decisions are tough, I talked to the players about it today. Aube-Kubel didn't do anything to come out of the lineup except score two goals in two games… it will change," Laviolette added. "I had a conversation with the players saying if it does change, you can come in and talk to me, but there may be no specific reason why you're coming out of the lineup other than we want to keep everybody active and moving."