The Edmonton Oilers started the 2025 Stanley Cup Final the same way they started their last run to a championship – by winning Game 1 in overtime.
They didn’t need as long as they took in 1990 when Petr Klima scored in the third overtime of that series’ opener. But Leon Draisaitl’s power-play goal at 19:29 of the first overtime was just as important for an Oilers team that lost the first three games of the 2024 Final and eventually fell in seven games.
The Oilers had trailed the defending champion Florida Panthers 3-1 early in the second period on Wednesday night after Sam Bennett’s second goal of the game (and 12th of the playoffs) before rallying for a 4-3 victory.
Connor McDavid helped the comeback with a nice assist on Mattias Ekholm’s tying goal and an even better one on the Draisaitl goal, the second of the game for the Hart Trophy finalist. He has three overtime goals in the 2025 playoffs, tying an NHL record.
The game looked like it would head to a second overtime, but Florida’s Tomas Nosek received a delay of game penalty for putting the puck over the glass.
The Panthers lost for the first time (29-1) in the three seasons under coach Paul Maurice when leading in the playoffs after two periods.
The teams will meet again in Edmonton, Alberta, on Friday night (8 p.m. ET, TNT, truTV).
Highlights from Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers:
Connor McDavid feeds Leon Draisaitl in front of the net for the game-winner.
Tomas Nosek puts the puck over the glass. There’s 1:43 left in the overtime period.
Sergei Bobrovsky stops Mattias Ekholm twice to keep it tied before the mandatory ice scrape.
The Panthers goalie slides across to stop Trent Frederic.
Edmonton’s Kasperi Kapanen splits the defense and hits the post. He had an OT goal earlier in the playoffs.
Corey Perry and Carter Verhaeghe have five career OT playoff goals. Brad Marchand has four.
The Oilers dominated that period, outshooting the Panthers 14-2. Mattias Ekholm tied the game when Connor McDavid’s pass from the goal line found him after going under several Panthers players sticks.
The Oilers overcame a 3-1 deficit early in the second period to tie the game. Mattias Ekholm tied it up in the third period.
Puck in Florida zone after puck goes out of play, which is determined after on-ice officials consult. 25 seconds left.
Still tied. Faceoff in Florida zone after an icing.
The Panthers goalie makes a bad pass and Edmonton gets a couple chances, but he stops them.
Still 3-3.
Mattias Ekholm gets the goal off an assist from Connor McDavid at 6:33. Ekholm has a goal and an assist in two games since he returned from injury.
3-2 Panthers. Edmonton has 47 seconds left on a power play. Penalty is killed. According to the NHL, the Panthers are 31-0 in the playoffs under coach Paul Maurice when leading after the first or second period.
Sam Bennett scored his second goal of the game (and 12th of the playoffs) as the Panthers controlled that period with a 17-8 edge in shots. But a Viktor Arvidsson goal has kept it close. This time, Stuart Skinner was the busier goalie in that period and he looked good after Bennett’s goal. Florida’s Jonah Gadjovich went to the dressing room early in the second period and hasn’t skated another shift.
Evan Rodrigues high sticks Leon Draisaitl, giving Edmonton a chance to tie with 1:13 left in the second period. Sergei Bobrovsky makes a couple saves and 47 seconds will carry into the third period.
Edmonton has only two shots so far, though one has gone in.
The Oilers get one back 77 seconds later. Viktor Arvidsson beats a screened Sergei Bobrovsky just under the glove.
Sam Bennett again, this time on a rush with Nate Schmidt. That’s 12 goals for Bennett this season. The pending unrestricted free agent is looking at a big payday. Two assists for Schmidt and Carter Verhaeghe in this game.
Panthers 2, Oilers 1
Edmonton had to like its start after Leon Draisaitl scored 66 seconds in and the Oilers outshot Florida 14-7. But the Panthers escape with the lead because the Oilers challenged Sam Bennett’s tying goal and lost. That gave Florida a power play and Brad Marchand scored for the lead. Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has been impressive, with multiple back-to-back saves. Even on the Draisaitl goal, he made two saves before Edmonton scored. Bennett now up to 11 goals this postseason.
It’s 4-on-3 after three consecutive penalties. The Oilers’ power play is at 56% at home this postseason. Good movement by Edmonton, but Sergei Bobrovsky stops Leon Draisaitl on the best chance. Penalty killed.
Edmonton is shorthanded after the unsuccessful challenge. Brad Marchand scores after a cross-ice pass and the Oilers’ 1-0 lead has quickly become a 2-1 deficit.
Sam Bennett scores and Edmonton challenges for goaltender interference because Bennett fell into Stuart Skinner. But it’s ruled that Bennett was knocked into the goalie and the goal stands. Carter Verhaeghe’s shot went in off Bennett. Panthers going on power play.
Corey Perry is called for high-sticking. Panthers power play is clicking at 23.2% this postseason. Edmonton penalty kill is at 66%. Connor McDavid out there killing penalties and hits the crossbar on a shorthanded rush. Edmonton kills it.
The Edmonton goalie stops Sam Bennett on a partial breakaway. Connor McDavid raced back to help defend.
Leon Draisaitl puts Edmonton ahead at 1:06. Jake Walman starts the play with a shot from the point. Sergei Bobrovsky stops that and Kasperi Kapanen’s rebound, but the puck pops out to Draisaitl. He was playing hurt in last season’s final and had no goals then.
Both teams have their top lines out there.
The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers will face off at 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. local) at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta on Wednesday.
TNT and truTV are broadcasting Game 1 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final. Kenny Albert will provide play-by-play, while Eddie Olczyk, Brian Boucher, Darren Pang and Jackie Redmond will provide analysis and reporting.
Stream the 2025 Stanley Cup Final on Sling
The Stanley Cup Final can be streamed on Max and Sling TV
It will be the Connor McDavid line for Edmonton vs. the Aleksander Barkov line for Florida. Edmonton defense pairing is Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard. Florida defense pairing is Seth Jones and Niko Mikkola. Stuart Skinner vs. Sergei Bobrovsky in net.
It’s not official yet, but the roster report shows the Panthers will start the Aleksander Barkov line and the Oilers will counter with the Connor McDavid line. Strength against strength. The NHL’s best player (McDavid) vs. the three-time Selke Trophy winner (Barkov).
The official roster report has Edmonton’s Connor Brown back in the lineup after an injury absence. That means Jeff Skinner will sit out. Skinner, who’s in the playoffs for the first time in his career, has played the opening game of the playoffs and in the Oilers’ Game 5 clincher. He scored in that game.
No Canadian team has won since 1993, when the Montreal Canadiens beat the Los Angeles Kings in five games. A Canadian team has reached the Final eight times since then, including the Oilers three times. They’re the second team with home-ice advantage, joining the 2011 Vancouver Canucks.
The Oilers have the four top scorers in the series: McDavid has 26 points, followed by Leon Draisaitl (25), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (18) and Evan Bouchard (17). Draisaitl and Corey Perry are tied with a team-high seven goals.
The Panthers have 10 players with double-digit points, led by Barkov (17), Matthew Tkachuk (16) and Sam Bennett (16). Bennett is also the playoffs’ leading goal scorer with 10.
Oilers’ Stuart Skinner (6-4, 2.53 goals-against average, .904 save percentage) vs. Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky (12-5, 2.11, .912)
The commissioner said the league isn’t interested in extending regular-season overtime to cut down on the number of shootouts. He notes that only 28% of overtime games go to a shootout.
“To extend overtime risks injury and fatigue and we don’t think it’s necessary,” he said. “And I think there are lots of fans who demonstrate during the shootout by standing up in the building that it’s an interesting and exciting way to decide … not an overly burdensome number” of regular-season games.
Also, Bettman reiterated that the International Olympic Committee has said there will be no Russian teams at the 2026 Games.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said that though cities have expressed interest in joining the NHL, “We’ve decided we’re not going to engage in a formal expansion process.”
Oilers forward Zach Hyman had surgery for a dislocated wrist during the Western Conference finals and will be out for the rest of the playoffs. He met with reporters on Wednesday while sporting a large cast on his wrist and discussed the situation.
“Right away, I just felt my wrist kind of go on me,” he said, adding, “I was still a little delusional that I could play through it until after the surgery. … Some things in life you can’t control and this is one of them.”
Hyman was on the couch watching the clinching game with his wife and mother-in-law when he was Face-timed by the team.
“It meant the world,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting it.”
Hyman said he will travel with the team, even though he can’t play.
USA TODAY predictions for the Stanley Cup (click here for more details):
Jason Anderson: Oilers in 7. Conn Smythe winner: Connor McDavid, Oilers
Mike Brehm: Panthers in 6. Conn Smythe winner: Aleksander Barkov, Panthers
Jace Evans: Oilers in 6. Conn Smythe winner: Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
All times Eastern; (x-if necessary)
All odds via BetMGM (as of Tuesday, June 3)
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