Screencap: @HockeyDaily365/Twitter

Washington Capitals left wing Conor Sheary scored his ninth goal of the season Saturday night as the team clashed with the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. The 30-year-old is now on pace for a 28-goal season.

With less than a minute to go in the opening frame, Sheary (9) tied the game at one a-piece during a man advantage. Left-wing Sonny Milano (5) and center Evgeny Kuznetsov (14) assisted.

Conor Sheary picks top shelf on the power play, tying it back up for the Capitals at the end of the first!#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/jukF3wG7pF

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) December 4, 2022

It marked Sheary’s second-straight game with a power play goal. His nine goals this season rank second on the Capitals, only behind captain Alex Ovechkin, who has thirteen.

Sheary on pace for 28-goal season. #ALLCAPS https://t.co/CgI7CVNhKy

— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 4, 2022

Milano has now recorded eight points (3g, 5a) in 14 games with the Capitals. Kuznetsov registered his team-leading 14th assist of the season and is now three assists shy of passing Bengt Gustafsson (359) for the eighth-most assists in franchise history.

Only making $1.5 million a year, Sheary continues to be one of the Capitals’ best offensive producers this season. He has seen minutes on the Capitals’ special teams and scored the Capitals’ first shorthanded goal this season.

“He can play in any position. He can play with any line,” head coach Peter Laviolette said on November 7, expressing how pleased he is with Sheary’s flexibility in the lineup, especially with injuries plaguing the team since the start of the season. The 30-year-old has found himself alternating between playing his natural position on the left wing on the fourth line and jumping up to the top line’s right wing.

“When we have the amount of people out, and sometimes it’s not just people, it’s who’s out too, so you find Conor pushing up to play first-line minutes—not that he hasn’t done it in the past, but he pushes up to play first-line minutes because of the personnel who is out. He’s able to do that; that line still is able to function and play well.”

By Della Young