Lightning's Steven Stamkos Returns from Core Muscle Injury for Game 3 vs. Stars

Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos returned for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, nearly seven months after suffering a core muscle injury.

"He's just another thing for a team to think about when he's out there," Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters Wednesday. "So whether that's on the power play or five-on-five, you get another player who, the puck gets on his stick in the offensive zone, it might go in the net."

Stamkos originally suffered the injury Feb. 25 and underwent surgery in March before adding a lower-body injury to the mix ahead of training camp in July. He has sat out the Lightning's entire postseason run despite being a participant in some practices, working himself back into game form.

The captain didn't take long to make an impact, either, scoring in the first period against the Dallas Stars. Tampa and Dallas traded off a game apiece heading into Wednesday's critical contest.

Stamkos has spent all 12 of his NHL seasons with the Lightning after being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 draft. This is his second attempt at bringing a Cup back to Tampa. The Lightning lost the 2015 Stanley Cup Final to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.