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VIDEO: Prince George's Brett Connolly scores 100th NHL goal

Milestone made in 10th season as professional hockey player

A whirlwind of a season for Brett Connolly was rewarded in the form of a career milestone.

The Prince George product reached another all-important triple-figure stat by potting his 100th career NHL goal Tuesday night (March 30) in aiding Florida to a 4-1 win over Detroit.

The 28-year-old lit the lamp at the 12:25 mark of the first period to give the Panthers a 3-0 cushion, also coming 58 seconds after teammate Carter Verhaeghe made it 2-0.

Connolly deflected the puck behind Red Wings' goaltender Thomas Greiss on a shot from the point by defenceman Gustav Forsling.

His expression after the goal was a noticeable sigh of relief from the 10-season veteran right-winger.

"It was good. Good to see one go in the net," he said in a news conference following the victory.

"But the team's playing well and it's good to see the guys stepping up, filling in and playing a really good hockey game tonight."

However, the goal also comes on the heels of a (near literal) up-and-down few weeks for the 2018 Stanley Cup champion with the Washington Capitals.

On Feb. 28, he was placed on waivers by the team and went unclaimed, which relegated the 2009 CHL Rookie of the Year to the taxi squad.

Connolly did not play in Florida's next 11 games, but was recalled to the active roster for its clash with Chicago on March 23.

Since then, he's averaged roughly 16 minutes of ice time and 18 shifts per game.

In the shortened 2020-21 campaign, the former Prince George and Cariboo Cougar has only amassed four points, two goals and two assist, in 20 games, along with a plus-five (+5) rating and 20 shots on goal.

Connolly's centennial marker was in his 516th career NHL game; he eclipsed his 500th earlier this year on Jan. 28, 2021.

It was also his first goal since Feb. 11.