Washingtons First Round Pick Suffers Major Injury After Puck Hits His Head

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Hunter Bowman
November 9, 2023 (1:57 PM)

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Washington Capitals winger Anthony Mantha is facing a tough stretch in the 2023-24 season. Before the Wednesday night game against the Florida Panthers, Mantha had only notched two points so far, and things hit a low point when he found himself as a healthy scratch in the second game of the season.

Against the Panthers, Mantha was having one of his better games, scoring two goals. Unfortunately, his night took a turn for the worse with 7:47 left in the third period of a tied 3-3 game. A powerful Evgeny Kuznetsov wrist shot, deflected by defender Mike Reilly's stick, struck Mantha on the left side of his head near the ear. Kuznetsov and linemate Aliaksei Protas assisted Mantha off the ice, who had a towel pressed against his face.

The game went into overtime, with the Panthers sealing a 4-3 victory just fifteen seconds in.

The incident brought back memories of John Carlson's injury last season, emphasizing the dangers players face. Carlson, hit by a high slap shot, suffered a fractured skull and severed temporal artery. He now wears extra ear protection to prevent further harm. Post-game, the Capitals reported Mantha's injury as an "upper-body injury," with a reevaluation scheduled for Thursday.

The Capitals now head on the road for back-to-back games against the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders on Friday and Saturday. The team faces challenges as they hope for Mantha's swift recovery.

Source: Bladeofsteel