Edmonton, Alberta -The Edmonton Oilers secured a thrilling 4–3 overtime victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night at Rogers Place. Leon Draisaitl delivered the game-winning goal on a power play at 19:29 of overtime, capitalizing on a delay-of-game penalty by Tomas Nosek. This victory marks a strong start for the Oilers, who aim to avoid the slow playoff series start they experienced last year.
The Panthers had initially taken a 3–1 lead, with Sam Bennett scoring twice and Brad Marchand adding another. However, the Oilers mounted a comeback in the second period, with Viktor Arvidsson and Mattias Ekholm scoring to tie the game. Connor McDavid and Kasperi Kapanen each contributed two assists, while goaltender Stuart Skinner made 29 crucial saves, including a key stop in the first minute of overtime.
Florida’s goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky faced a barrage of 46 shots, making several pivotal saves to keep his team in the game. Despite the loss, the Panthers remain confident as they head into Game 2, scheduled for Friday night in Edmonton.
NHL Schedule:
- Panthers (FLA) @ Oilers (EDM) on Wednesday, Jun 04, 2025 at 05:00 PM PDT. Final score: FLA 3 – EDM 4
