Draisaitl Lifts Oilers to Game 1 Victory in Stanley Cup Final

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The Edmonton Oilers took a major step forward in rewriting their playoff narrative, defeating the Florida Panthers 4–3 in overtime in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night. Leon Draisaitl scored the game-winning goal on a power play with 31 seconds remaining in the extra period, completing a comeback that demonstrated Edmonton’s resolve and growth since last year’s finals loss. The Oilers, who fell behind 3–0 in the 2024 Final against the same Panthers team, made clear from the start that this year is different. Goaltender Stuart Skinner spoke about the mental shift:

“Last year, I was kind of looking at it with googly eyes,” he said. “This year seeing it, it’s: ‘I was here last year, I saw it. It’s time to get back to work and do my thing’”.

Edmonton initially struggled after Draisaitl’s opening goal, allowing three consecutive tallies—two from Florida forward Sam Bennett and one on the power play by Brad Marchand. The Oilers’ coach Kris Knoblauch challenged the second goal for goaltender interference, but the NHL ruled that Edmonton defenseman Jake Walman had tripped Bennett into Skinner, resulting in a penalty and a subsequent Florida goal. Despite trailing 3–1, Edmonton rallied. Viktor Arvidsson cut the deficit with a second-period goal, and veteran defenseman Mattias Ekholm tied the game in the third off a precise assist from captain Connor McDavid. Skinner, meanwhile, made 29 saves to keep the Oilers alive, earning chants of “Stuuuu! Stuuuu!” from the home crowd. McDavid, who assisted on the tying and winning goals, praised Draisaitl’s performance. “He’s invaluable,” McDavid said. “Clutch, faceoffs, you name it—he does it” (qtd. in Whyno). Draisaitl’s goal was his third in overtime this postseason, tying the NHL record for most OT goals in a single playoff run.

With the victory, the Oilers handed Florida its first loss in the last 32 games under coach Paul Maurice when leading at the first or second intermission. Edmonton now leads the best-of-seven series 1–0, with Game 2 scheduled for Friday night at Rogers Place in Edmonton.