Mantha assists in connecting Ovechkin’s milestone to Howe

CHICAGO — Anthony Mantha has heard a lot of stories from his grandfather, Andre Pronovost, who played with several great NHL players, including Gordie Howe, in the mid-1960s.

“I won’t say anything to mix up my stories over here, but he just tells me a lot about everyone,” the Washington Capitals forward said. “It’s awesome.”

On Tuesday, Mantha helped Alex Ovechkin get one goal closer to tying Howe.

Mantha had the primary assist when Ovechkin scored his 800th NHL goal at 6:34 of the third period when the Capitals defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 7-3 at United Center. The 37-year-old Ovechkin joins Howe (801) and Wayne Gretzky (894) as the only players to score 800 NHL goals.

Video: WSH@CHI: Ovechkin scores hat trick for 800th goal

Mantha also scored his eighth goal of the season, but his assist, which helped Ovechkin complete his 29th NHL hat trick, looms much larger.

“It’s awesome,” Mantha said. “I mean, you don’t really think about it, obviously, and it just happened there was a line change and he jumped on while we were finishing our shift. You got [Evgeny Kuznetsov] and I on the forecheck and then he just took it for an open net, basically.”

Pronovost, 86, was Howe’s teammate on the Detroit Red Wings from 1962-65. He had 198 points (94 goals, 104 assists) in 557 NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Red Wings and Minnesota North Stars.

Mantha, a first-round pick (No. 20) by the Red Wings in the 2013 NHL Draft, played for Detroit until he was traded to Washington for forwards Jakub Vrana and Richard Panik on April 12, 2021.

Mantha said Pronovost has watched Ovechkin’s rise through the record books.

“Oh, 100 percent. he’s been watching every single game,” Mantha said. “If it’s not once it’s probably twice, every game. He’s a fan and he doesn’t miss any.”

[RELATED: Alex Ovechkin career timeline: Draft to 800 NHL goals]

Ovechkin scored his 798th goal, and 18th of this season, 24 seconds into the game. His 799th goal came at 8:14 of the first period, on the power play.

After Ovechkin scored his 800th, he was mobbed by his teammates as some fans threw hats on the ice. Ovechkin also received a standing ovation and an “Ovi” chant from the United Center crowd.

Mantha said he and other Capitals had a feeling Tuesday was good to be a big night for Ovechkin.

“We kind of called it before, last night actually. I was with ‘Stromer’ [Capitals forward Dylan Strome] at dinner and we’re like, ‘I have a feeling ‘O’s going to go for three, four, maybe five tomorrow night,'” he said. “It just sometimes … it happens. He kind of got a couple of empty-net goals to get it going and tonight it was coming on his blade and going in the back of the net.”

Mantha said he and Pronovost have had some great conversations about hockey through the years. Another one will likely come soon.

“There’s probably going to be one in the next couple of days, that’s for sure, or as soon as [Ovechkin] breaks the next record,” Mantha said. “We’re going to talk, for sure.”