Élizabeth Mantha will take an important step that she has been waiting for several years when she jumps on the ice as an American League referee on Friday night in Laval.
Nearly 50 friends and family will be in attendance at Place Bell, where the Rocket will host the Rochester Americans.
About 1000 kilometers away there will be another very interested person who will not be able to attend his debut since he will take part in a professional hockey game himself. But Washington Capitals winger Anthony Mantha is sure to text his big sister before leaving Capital One Arena to get all the scoops on his first professional game as an official.
Anthony and Elizabeth can’t see each other much these days, or even in the off-season, due to their busy schedules. But they often find the time to text or FaceTime each other, especially before or after games.
“We are under the same kind of pressure,” Elizabeth told Athletic in a recent telephone interview. We know how difficult it is, the pressure that comes with it. So we encourage each other. “
Elizabeth is under constant pressure; the 31-year-old also works full-time as a supervisor in the 911 emergency dispatch service and is pursuing her master’s degree in management at the University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières.
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