Lightning's Stamkos scores 300th goal
Tampa Bay captain ninth-youngest ever to reach milestone
NHL.com @NHLdotcom
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos scored his 300th NHL goal Saturday.
Stamkos scored 11:20 into the first period to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead in a 4-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center.
The goal came in his 550th regular-season game.
"It's pretty special," Stamkos said. "First of all it means you've been around for a while. And secondly, I've been fortunate to play with a lot of good players. I've been able to be put in positions to score goals. And obviously it was special coming in a big win for our team."
Stamkos was the first pick in the 2008 NHL Draft by the Lightning. He has 24 goals in 58 games this season.
Since entering the League, Stamkos' 300 goals are second to Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (349).
Stamkos got to 300 at 26 years, 13 days old. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he's the ninth-youngest player to score 300 goals, and second-youngest among active players to Ovechkin, who scored his 300th at 25 years, 200 days, on April 5, 2011.
Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins was 27 years, 237 days old when he scored his 300th on April 1, 2015.
Stamkos is the only player from the 2008 draft to score 300 goals; Jordan Eberle of the Edmonton Oilers is second with 138.
Stamkos has scored at least 20 goals in all eight of his NHL seasons, including 50 goals twice. He had a career-high 60 in 2011-12 and 51 in 2009-10, winning the Rocket Richard Trophy as the League's top goal-scorer each time.
He is the third player to score 300 goals for the Lightning, joining Vincent Lecavalier (383) and Martin St. Louis (365).