Bolts Best Player of the Month: Steven Stamkos

Captain Steven Stamkos paced the Lightning's offense in the opening month of the season, leading the way with 12 points in eight games.

Stamkos opened the season with three-straight multi-point performances.
He assisted on both of Tampa Bay's goals in their Opening Night loss to the Penguins. Stamkos followed that up with his best game of October, scoring a pair of power play goals and adding an assist as the Lightning rallied for an overtime win over the Red Wings in Detroit.

In Tampa Bay's following game in Washington against the Capitals, Stamkos got the primary assist on Mikhail Sergachev's third period goal that forced overtime. In the extra session, Stamkos played the hero for the Bolts, skating the length of the ice with the puck and snapping a wrist shot past Vitek Vanececk for the game-winning goal.
The Bolts fell to the Avalanche in a shootout at Amalie Arena on Saturday, October 23, but Stamkos scored a goal and added an assist in the losing effort. He also scored in the fourth round of the shootout.
Stamkos closed October with three points over the final two games. He picked up an assist in the Lightning's 5-1 win over the Penguins and followed up with another goal and assist in a victory over Arizona.
Stamkos' 12 points are tied for fifth-most in the NHL so far this season.