Washington Capitals 2019 first-round pick, Connor McMichael, has scored some big goals for the Hershey Bears during the 2023 Calder Cup playoffs, but he saved his best for last.
After watching the Bears fall behind 2-0 to the Coachella Valley Firebirds in Game Seven, McMichael scored on a second period power play jolting his team back to life.
McMichael, the Bears’ power-play quarterback, beat Firebirds goaltender Joey Daccord on a rebound after he pinched in backdoor from the point.
🚨MIKEY ON THE PP!!!🚨 pic.twitter.com/kewlVUbj7G
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 22, 2023
The tally was McMichael’s sixth of the postseason and gave him the team-lead in playoff tallies.
After McMichael got the Bears back into game, fellow Capitals first-round draft pick center, Hendrix Lapierre tied things up just 3:17 later in what was a fully prospect-fueled comeback.
McMichael’s strike came two nights after he scored the first goal of Game Six after a great passing play with Joe Snively.
Earlier in the postseason, McMichael scored the game-tying goal late in the third period against the Hartford Wolf Pack to help the Bears’ sweep their Atlantic Division rival.
McMichael is no stranger to high pressure games. The forward was an alternate captain for Team Canada when they lost to Team USA in the 2021 World Junior Championship. He also scored and assisted in Team Canada’s 2020 gold medal-winning game.
Just 34 seconds after the @russiahockey goal, @con91mcmichael tips one in for @hc_wjc and we have a 3-2 game!! @capitals @GoLondonKnights pic.twitter.com/2MwwhPDIN7
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) January 5, 2020
McMichael has been playing for Hershey since November after being unable to carve out a role in Washington under Peter Laviolette. He’s centered the second line and been used in all situations for the Bears, including the power play and penalty kill.
