Welcome to the NHL, Kent Johnson.
The Port Moody product has checked off another major milestone for his professional career — and it's arguably one of the most important on the list.
The 20-year-old forward scored his first career NHL goal Saturday night (Oct. 22) in his fifth game with Columbus this season.
It came just before the four-minute mark of the second period to give the Blue Jackets a 3-1 advantage against the Pittsburgh Penguins on home ice.
Johnson took control of the puck on the right side of goaltender Tristan Jarry after receiving a pass from teammate Jack Roslovic.
He stickhandled towards the front of the net and moved swiftly from forehand to backhand to avoid the Penguins' defenders.
Johnson ultimately poked the puck between Jarry's legs to light his first lamp and launch the cannon inside Nationwide Arena.
Pittsburgh, however, spoiled the party in producing a 6-3 comeback victory over Johnson and the Blue Jackets.
The Port Moody Amateur Hockey Association (PMAHA) alum now has three points (one goal, two assists) in five games to start the 2022-23 season.
It added to the two points in nine games he tallied when he joined Columbus in the final stint of the 2021-22 campaign.
The Blue Jackets selected Johnson fifth overall in the 2021 NHL Draft and signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract on April 8 earlier this year.
His first NHL point was an assist and came on April 19 while on the road in San Jose.
He scored the gold medal-winning goal for Canada at the 2022 World Junior Championships redux in Edmonton — a 3-2 overtime victory over Finland.
That was the cherry on the parfait for Johnson's summer after receiving the chance to play for three of Canada's top-level men's squads: Olympics, worlds and world juniors.
As of this publication, Johnson's Blue Jackets are 2-4 and deadlocked for last in the NHL's metropolitan division with Coquitlam's Mathew Barzal and the New York Islanders.
His next game is slated for tomorrow (Oct. 23) at 2 p.m. Pacific time in Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers.
