Bruins' Connolly on finger injury: 'Hopefully I'm back before the playoffs'

Brett Connolly broke his finger at practice before he could make his Boston Bruins debut, but the young forward isn't letting that bring him down.

Connolly's slightly snakebitten career suffered another setback when the puck hit his hand, sidelining him for an estimated six weeks. The 22-year-old is eager to return this season and make an impact with his new team after he wasn't able to find a spot on the Tampa Bay Lightning's scoring lines.

"Hopefully I'm back before the playoffs, so that's what I'm aiming for," Connolly told reporters in his first media appearance since suffering the injury.

The six-week timetable puts Connolly on track to return right at the end of the season, when the Bruins embark on a three-game road trip with stops at Washington, Florida and Tampa Bay in their season finale. 

He's doing his best to accelerate his recovery and hopes to be back on the ice soon.

"It shouldn't be long before I can skate," Connolly said. "I'll take it day by day here and hopefully the finger heals faster than normal."

Connolly is no stranger to injury problems. He was limited to 16 games in his draft-eligible season due to a hip ailment, but dealing with that injury appears to have given him some perspective on the randomness of injuries.

"You don't know why it happens but there's nothing you can do," he said. "It was a harmless shot and just a very unfortunate thing."

Connolly has 18 goals and 32 points in 134 games with Tampa Bay, as well as 120 points in 137 AHL contests.