The 32-year-old forward reached the milestone when he scored at 4:40 of the first period from the top of the crease off a pass from Alex Killorn. He then scored No. 501 at 14:35 after Killorn carried the puck out from behind the net and fed him in front, and completed his 11th NHL hat trick with an empty-net goal at 18:38 of the third period for No. 502.
"It's very special," Stamkos said. "I've had quite a few chances the last couple of games, and it was nice to get it out of the way kind of early in the game. I know guys have been looking for me in situations where maybe they would have shot over the past two games, so it was nice to do it and then just go out and play."
Stamkos is the 47th player in NHL history to score 500 goals and the third active, joining Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (810) and Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (538). He is also the 23rd to do so with one NHL team, and the 18th to score 500 goals and record 1,000 points in fewer than 1,000 games (965).
Stamkos got his 1,000th point in a 4-1 win at the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 1.
The Canucks fans gave Stamkos a huge ovation.
"Obviously to do it in a win is huge, and the thing that's going to stick out too is obviously the goal but just the reception I got from the crowd," Stamkos said. "That's pretty amazing. That's something as a player that sticks with you for a long time when you're on the road and you get that type of reception. So I just want to say to the fans that were here tonight 'thank you and I appreciate that and very classy move.'
"You know what? I don't want to say it surprised me because I know the passion of Canadian hockey fans and I know they're very aware of what's going on in the hockey world. I kind of compared it back to when I scored my 60th [goal] in Winnipeg and got a very similar reaction. That's the thing that the guys talk about to this day is that reaction and how cool it was to be a part of that, so to have that again tonight was very special."
Selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, Stamkos is Tampa Bay's all-time leader in goals, points (1,024), power-play goals (190), power-play points (370), game-winning goals (76) and overtime goals (13). He is second in assists (522), behind Martin St. Louis (588).
Stamkos also has 91 points (43 goals, 48 assists) in 117 playoff games, including helping the Lightning win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021.
The Lightning players came off the bench and mobbed Stamkos in the corner to celebrate goal No 500.
"It's such a humbling experience when you have a moment like that and you get to celebrate it with your teammates, who are genuinely just as excited as you are," Stamkos said. "I'm so thankful for them. Obviously this is an individual statistic, but it takes so many different players along the way that have helped me get to that and that's where you reflect on those things and you're just very thankful to be part of this group and in the group of players I've played with for one organization for the last 14-plus years. It's pretty special to do it, and to have that reaction from them too is just amazing
Stamkos has won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL's leader in goals twice, the first coming in 2009-10, when he tied Crosby with 51 goals, and again in 2011-12, when he scored an NHL career-high 60.
"If you've watched any of our last couple of games I don't think anybody was shooting a puck at a net if Stamkos was on the ice," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "So as a coach, I'm glad it's over with because the guys were looking for him. But it can be stressful.
"When you're getting close to those milestones, 'Stammer' was positive and talking all the team stuff but I know it wears on you and the anticipation of that big moment. You want to do that at home, but the fact that he got to do it in his home country and everybody here was extremely appreciative of the goal and, so, just a great moment."
NHL.com Independent Correspondent Kevin Woodley contributed to this report
