HIGHLIGHTS
- The Edmonton Oilers took Game 1 against the Florida Panthers
- Leon Draisaitl played hero in the dying seconds of OT
- Keep reading to see his game-winner
The Edmonton Oilers can never be counted out, and Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers was a perfect example of just that.
The Western Conference champions overcame a 3-1 deficit to ultimately win 4-3 in overtime, courtesy of Leon Draisaitl’s second goal of the contest. The superstar took a one-timer from Connor McDavid and buried the puck, beating Cats’ netminder Sergei Bobrovsky.
Take a look at the winner:
A beautiful finish from the big German. By no surprise, the Oilers’ star duo stole the show. McDavid tallied a pair of assists, while, as previously mentioned, Draisaitl scored twice as well.
The series opener looked destined for a second overtime period before Tomas Nosek accidentally shot the puck over the boards, which resulted in a delay-of-game penalty. That allowed Edmonton to have a man advantage and ultimately come out victorious.
The supporting cast for the Oilers was also brilliant. Kasperi Kapanen stepped up and supplied two helpers. Viktor Arvidsson scored a goal in the second period. Kris Knoblauch’s group was staring down a potential loss in Game 1 before Mattias Ekholm, who just returned from injury, scored his first goal since late April to tie the contest up at three late in the third.
After losing in seven games last season to the Panthers, the Oilers are already in a different position. They never led at all in the 2024 series. Edmonton undoubtedly has momentum right now, and the home crowd played a massive part in Wednesday’s victory.
The Oilers will be looking to take a 2-0 lead on Friday evening before heading out on the road for Games 3 and 4.
