Photo: London Knights

Capitals 2019 first-round pick Connor McMichael arrived to his first training camp with the Capitals with much fanfare and after a strong performance during his first taste of NHL action, the young center has already started the 2019-20 Ontario Hockey League season off red-hot. In a game played earlier between McMichael’s London Knights and the Hamilton Bulldogs, the 18-year old pivot scored three times and added two helpers to help the Knights route Hamilton 7-3. McMichael now has seven goals and three assists in four games played to start the 2019-20 season for London.

The first goal that made up McMichael’s hat trick came just under halfway through the first period, with London putting pressure on Hamilton in the offensive zone on the power play. After receiving a pass from teammate Hunter Skinner, McMichael corralled the puck on his stick, and while falling shot the puck past Hamilton netminder Matteo Drobac.

His second tally again, came with the man-advantage just 26 seconds later, his fifth of the season:

The goal to complete the “hatty” came late in the third period, while the Knights were shorthanded. The goal came at the 13:28 mark of the final frame and was the final goal of the contest:

McMichael’s two assists came at the 9:48 and 11:22 mark of the second and third periods, respectively, and his second and third of the season.

His first assist of the game came on a goal by teammate Jonathan Gruden, and helped give London a 4-3 lead over Hamilton:

Jonathan Gruden scores as he deflects in a Merkley shot!

That’s 3 assists for Ryan Merkley this game. 4-2 London. #OHL pic.twitter.com/8R5lJN62Uh— Caitlin Berry (@caitlinsports) September 29, 2019

His second helper came on another goal from Gruden, and pushed London’s lead to 6-3:

Almost immediately afterwards, Jonathan Gruden gets his 2nd of the knight for London.

Some great passing between him, Connor McMichael and Antonio Stranges to set it up. 6-3. @GoLondonKnights #OHL #knights pic.twitter.com/lqCh76WwqB— Caitlin Berry (@caitlinsports) September 29, 2019

McMichael’s five-point night moves him into a tie for the lead in OHL scoring at 10, with the Saginaw Spirit’s Ilya Solovyov. His seven goals are the most of any OHL skater, two ahead of the Sudbury Wolves’ Quintin Byfield. McMichael is also a plus-1 on the season and four of his seven goals came on the power play.

By Michael Fleetwood