Steven Stamkos has celebrated nine birthdays while a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning. On almost half of his special days he has had a game. Playing in four games on the day of his birth is a team record that he shares with Jassen Cullimore. According to HockeyReference.com, the NHL record is shared by Peter Bondra and Jeremy Roenick, who both played in 11 games on their birthday.
So how has the captain fared on his birthday?
2008-09
In his first birthday game, Stamkos assisted on the only goal of the game. It was a third period goal by Gary Roberts that led the Lightning to a 1-0 victory over the New York Islanders. Mike McKenna made 28 saves in his first (and so far only) shutout in the NHL.
2009-10
There was no game on his birthday this season, but he did score a goal in the game before against Calgary and the game after against Vancouver.
2010-11
Again, no game on his birthday for his third season in the league. He did pick up an assist in a wild 7-4 loss to the Sabres the day after his birthday. In that loss, Sean Bergenheim celebrated his birthday by scoring two goals, a birthday team record that he would hold alone for roughly a month until Mattias Ritola equaled the feat on his birthday on March 14th, scoring two goals against Toronto.
2011-12
The Lightning were back on the ice for Stamkos’s birthday this season. They took on, and lost, to the Los Angeles Kings, 3-1. Stamkos did score the only goal for the Lightning, his 35th of the year, with assists going to Teddy Purcell and Eric Brewer. And he got a birthday pie in the face:
2012-13
This season, he was in New Jersey for his birthday, which is where everyone wants to be on their special day! The Lightning lost to the Devils, 4-2. Stamkos ran his birthday points streak to three when he picked up an assist on Matt Carle’s (!) third-period goal.
2013-14
This was his broken leg season. No game for Stamkos, but he did not miss a birthday game since the Lightning were off on that day. The Lightning did make him a nice cake, though.
2014-15
Sadly, the streak is snapped. Once again playing the Los Angeles Kings, Stamkos is held off the scoresheet during 19:11 of play in the 4-2 loss to the Kings.
2015-16
No Stamkos birthday game for the Lightning this season. He did have two assists against the Penguins the game before, a 6-3 Lightning victory over the eventual Stanley Cup Champions.
2016-17
This year marks the first time he’s actually missed a game that the Lightning played on his birthday. As we are all well aware, there was no Stamkos available this season. But the Lightning didn’t need him as they blasted the Los Angeles Kings 5-0 at Amalie Arena, breathing some life into their woebegone season.
