Elizabeth Mantha becomes one of the first female officials in AHL history originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
It was already well-documented that the Mantha family has etched their name into hockey lore. Capitals forward Anthony Mantha is the grandson of André Pronovost, a four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Montreal Canadiens.
But now, Anthony’s older sister Elizabeth has written her name into the hockey history books as well.
Elizabeth Mantha became one of the first 10 female officials in American Hockey League history on Friday night, reffing the Laval Rocket vs. Rochester Americans game in Laval, Quebec. It’s a historic moment for hockey, as Mantha and her nine colleagues pave the way for women to one day officiate in the NHL.
Mantha, 31, already had pro hockey officiating experience. She officiated the IIHF Women’s World Championship this past summer, one of just 21 women to do so. Before that, she had previous stops in various minor and junior leagues before elevating to international women’s hockey.
The pressure that comes with overseeing professional hockey games is not new to Mantha. She works full-time as a supervisor at Quebec’s 911 emergency dispatch, per the Athletic. She also is pursuing a Master’s degree in management.
“I’ll be texting her,” Anthony said of his sister’s accomplishment. “I think there’s 45 people going to the game (for her). I was like, ‘How much are the tickets?’ She said, ’25 bucks.’ It adds up.”
