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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 the team's last championship. This year's Final is a rematch of last season's, which Florida won in seven games.
In addition to his OT goal, Draisaitl also opened the scoring just 66 seconds into the game. The Panthers fought back with three straight goals, however, benefitting from a failed coach's challenge by the Oilers on the first before capitalizing on the subsequent power play to score the second.
Edmonton then got goals from unlikely sources, Viktor Arvidsson and Mattias Ekholm, to come from behind and force overtime.
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Leon Draisaitl plays OT hero as Oilers defeat Panthers in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final: Takeaways
Leon Draisaitl didn't sound like he was giving himself too much time to celebrate his overtime winner tonight: “It’s a special feeling, it’s great for right now, but we got to look ahead and get ready for Game 2.”
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Connor McDavid lauded Leon Draisaitl's impact after his overtime goal tonight: "He's invaluable. So many good things. Clutch, faceoffs, you name it, he does it. Doesn't get enough respect or credit for his defensive abilities. When he's dug in there's not many better, maybe nobody better."
The power play that led to Leon Draisaitl's overtime goal was set up by Tomas Nosek's delay of game penalty, a mental error at a crucial time.
Paul Maurice was asked what he told Nosek following the Panthers' loss: "You remind him after the game of being down 0-2 to Toronto. That line came in and changed everything for us. We're not here without Tomas. It's a tough break."
Speaking to the media after the Oilers rallied from two goals down to win Game 1, Mattias Ekholm revealed the message shared in Edmonton's room during the second intermission: "Just keep going… At that point we were playing okay… We know that (our) team, with our backs against the wall, usually shows up and we did it again tonight."
The Panthers shortened their bench a lot more than the Oilers did tonight. The time on ice for Florida's fourth line ranged from 6:04 to 9:20. In contrast, Edmonton's lowest ice time was Trent Frederic at 13:36.
To me this felt like a Grant Fuhr type of performance by Stuart Skinner. He gave up a few early, got down, but kept focusing on the next shot knowing his team can score goals. He made a handful of big saves in the second period to keep it 3-2.
After the game, Skinner said he felt completely different before the game than he did a year ago. He said last year he had googly eyes looking at the Cup, but this year he's been there, done that.
I thought he showed that maturity in the game. He obviously felt like he was interfered with on the first goal, but Edmonton lost that challenge and Skinner immediately allowed the subsequent power-play goal. That's such an easy situation in which to lose your composure, but he stayed calm, held his team in it, and they came back to win.
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With his two goals tonight, Leon Draisaitl has now scored 50 in the playoffs in his career.
Tonight being his 91st career playoff game, he becomes just the second active player to reach the 50-goal milestone prior to his 100th game, joining Nathan MacKinnon who did so in 89 games.
David H.: Thank you, I needed to go to bed!!!
Jesse M.: McDavid is absolutely incredible. I don’t understand how he and Drai don’t score every single time they’re on the ice together.
Frank B.: After disappointingly one-sided conference finals, might we be getting a serious Stanley Cup final? As a neutral this is what I came to see tonight.
Andrew S.: We’re in for a great series folks. Florida has got to lock in. They looked lost. You just knew Edmonton was going to win it.
Mike D.: Great game. Clearly the two best teams in the league with little between them. Not sure my heart can take six more of these though.
Prior to tonight, the Panthers were 31-0 when holding a lead at the end of the first or second period in playoff games since head coach Paul Maurice was hired in 2023.
Florida led after both the first and the second period tonight, but the Oilers' rally means that records falls to 31-1.
Oilers 4, Panthers 3 (OT)
The Oilers outshot the Panthers 24-8 between the third period and overtime.
With his third overtime goal of the 2025 playoffs, Leon Draisaitl has tied the NHL record for most OT goals in a single postseason.
Four other players have scored three OT goals in one playoff year, two of which happen to also be playing in this series: Mel Hill (BOS 1939), Maurice Richard (MTL 1951), Corey Perry (ANA 2017) and Matthew Tkachuk (FLA 2023).
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The last Oilers player to score an overtime goal in the first game of the Cup Final?
Petr Klima in 1990, doing so against the Bruins in triple overtime.
Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring tonight just 66 seconds into the game, and he closes the book on Game 1 with his overtime winner, doing so with just 31 seconds left in the first OT period.
He spoke to Sportsnet after his game winner:
"Just a number of really good plays. Great play by Corey (Perry) down low to get it to (McDavid), and then a great play by (McDavid)."
On rallying from two goals down: "We've done it all year, especially in the postseason. We stick with it and we're never gonna quit.
"It’s a good start for us, but we’ve got to regroup and get ready for Game 2."
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!
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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.