Connor McMichael has tantalized with his talent over the last few years but never found consistency night in and night out. Now, playing on the left wing and skating with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson, McMichael is turning into a star as head coach Spencer Carbery guides the way.
McMichael’s latest notable performance came on Friday in the Washington Capitals’ 5-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. McMichael scored twice in the game, giving him 12 goals in his last 13 games. That goalsplosion has McMichael tied for second in the NHL in goals (12). He leads the league outright in five-on-five goals with 11.
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 16, 2024
McMichael’s first tally against the Avalanche came 7:48 into the first period to give the Capitals a 2-1 lead. Finding an open spot on the ice, the 23-year-old forward took a brilliant feed from Wilson and one-timed a shot from the top of the circles past goaltender Justus Annunen.
“Naming my kid Connor..” one Instagram commenter wrote.
“Best Mc in the league in my opinion,” another added.
McMichael followed that up with some McMagic, turning defense into offense. And he did so by using his face.
As Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard looked to pass the puck up the ice, McMichael got his stick blade on the puck, accidentally deflecting it off his chin and back down to the ice. [See the replay in the below interview to get a clear view.] The Capitals’ leading goal-scorer then skated the puck toward the goal, where defenseman Josh Manson tried to poke it away. One dangle later, McMichael was sprung, and he backhanded the puck past Annunen for a stunning highlight-reel goal.
The unassisted tally would give the Capitals a 3-1 lead 1:53 into the second period.
“I saw that the D was a little flat-footed, and he was trying to get in the shot lane,” McMichael said. “So I just pulled it to my backhand and tried throwing it on net and found a hole there.”
Replays of McMichael’s chin goal were reposted everywhere on hockey social accounts.
“Connor McMichael might be Connor McDavid… 🥵,” the NHL wrote on X. “What a disgusting goal for his 12th of the season!”
“Connor McMichael on hatty watch after that fiiiilthy highlight reel goal 👀,” wrote Bleacher Report’s hockey account.
“Connor McMichael cannot be stopped! 🥵” added Sportsnet.
Later, McMichael just missed out on his first career NHL hat trick after his shot at an empty net went wide by just a few feet.
“Yeah, I don’t want it to stop,” Dubois said of McMichael’s hot streak. “Nobody does, but especially me and Tom. Whatever he needs, we’re there for him. I had my hands up in the air – I thought he had that one at the end on that empty net. When you’re hot, it’s just a matter of time. He missed that one, but hopefully, he’ll get one next game.”
McMichael’s chin goal would go on to be the game-winner. The 2019 first-round pick was named First Star of the Night.
#CapsAvs 3 ⭐️’s of the game
⭐️: Connor McMichael
⭐️⭐️: COL – Kelly
⭐️⭐️⭐️: Pierre-Luc Dubois#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/Q4rBtl0prG— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 16, 2024
He was also statistically the Capitals’ top player of the evening by a wide margin.
#NHL GameScore Impact Card for Washington Capitals on 2024-11-15:#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/OHW3r7frtZ
— HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards) November 16, 2024
It’s an honor the new dad may experience more and more as his likely career year continues.
