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The Oilers have beaten the Panthers 4-3 in overtime of Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final thanks to Leon Draisaitl's game-winning goal.
Edmonton leads a Stanley Cup Final series for the first time since 1990, the year of their last championship. This year's Final is a rematch of last season's, which Florida won in seven games.
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The Oilers entered tonight’s game with a 30 percent conversion rate on the power play. But couldn’t score on their first four opportunities. Their fifth power-play opportunity of the night results in a game-winning goal from Leon Draisaitl, his second of the game.
Edmonton leads the series 1-0 after the OT winner from the German-born forward. The Oilers tried to come back from a 3-0 series deficit last year, but they start the series on the right foot this time around.
Draisaitl made sure to give credit to Corey Perry for his work down low that ultimately led to his overtime winner when interviewed by Sportsnet just now.
Final/OT – Oilers 4, Panthers 3
Draisaitl scores! The Oilers have won Game 1!
OT 1:43 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
A huge mental error by Nosek, who clears the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty.
OT 2:05 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
Bouchard puts a great move on Forsling to get around him and break free on goal, but he can't finish the chance!
OT 4:34 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
After a series of icings by the Oilers, the Panthers pin them in their defensive zone. The result is some very long shifts for Edmonton's defensemen. Florida fails to capitalize though, as Podkolzin steals the puck and manages to clear it before the Panthers are called for offside.
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Sergei Bobrovsky is up to 40 saves tonight, becoming just the third different goaltender in the past decade with a 40-save performance in a Stanley Cup Final game.
The others: Andrei Vasilevskiy (2021) and Martin Jones (2x in 2016).
OT 9:37 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
Bobrovsky makes a save on an Ekholm slap shot from the blue line through traffic.
We've reached our first stoppage after the 10-minute mark, which means we get our lone ice scrape of the overtime period.
OT 10:53 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
Frederic has a huge chance at the back post on a cross-ice pass from Henrique but Bobrovsky gets over just in time to make the stop!
The Oilers plucked Kasperi Kapanen off of waivers from St. Louis last November. He’s got three goals for the Oilers this spring, including the series winner over Vegas in the second round, which also came in overtime. Had he scored on that breakaway, he would’ve been an instant Oilers playoff legend for this generation of fans.
"F—!" yells Kasperi Kapanen on the Oilers bench after hitting the post on that breakaway.
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OT 12:54 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
What a move by Kapanen! He splits a pair of defenders and breaks free on goal, but can only hit the outside of the post with his ensuing shot. What a moment that would have been if he had ended Game 1 there.
OT 15:00 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
Reinhart feeds Rodrigues, setting him up with a great scoring chance near the slot. Barkov screens Skinner but the Oilers goalie still manages to make a huge save.
If the Panthers end up winning this game, we’ll remember that Eetu Luostarinen block. He took that Jake Walman shot off of his knee before it went out of play for a stoppage.
OT 15:59 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
Bobrovsky pushes a Kane shot away from goal but it sets Walman up with a big opportunity to unleash a slap shot from the opposite side. Luostarinen, however, makes a great play to lay out and block the shot.
The Panthers had two (!!) shots on goal in the third period. They already have five in overtime and we’re about four minutes in.
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OT 17:45 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
Podkolzin and Janmark lead the Oilers' first real attack of overtime, which tells you that the Panthers have been controlling play since we began the period.
Earlier, Verhaeghe had a gilt-edged chance to win the game but couldn't poke the puck home from next to the crease.
OT 19:41 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
An immediate chance for Reinhart right in front of net, but Skinner stands tall to make the save.
OT 20:00 – Panthers 3, Oilers 3
Here we go! Buckle up! Strap in!
We could be here for hours, or this could be over in a flash. Game 1 hangs in the balance, don't go anywhere!
