As the 2013–14 season began on October 3, 2013, with a home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Kelly had his first-ever chance at a penalty shot in his NHL career in the first period of the game; he converted the penalty shot, scoring the first Bruins goal of the season against goaltender Anders Lindbäck while the Bruins were in a short-handed situation en route to an eventual 3–1 home victory. The goal marked the first time in NHL history that a team scored its first goal of the season via a penalty shot.