Stanley Cup Final: Edmonton Oilers Take Game 1 Thriller in Overtime Against Florida Panthers
Edmonton Oilers kicked off the Stanley Cup Final in dramatic fashion, edging out the Florida Panthers 4–3 in overtime at a packed Rogers Place. It was a night to remember in Alberta, as the Oilers drew first blood in this best-of-seven series.
The hero of the night? None other than Leon Draisaitl. The German superstar struck twice, including the game-winning goal on the power play with just under a minute left in overtime. Remarkably, Draisaitl had also opened the scoring just 66 seconds into the first period, setting the tone for what would become a back-and-forth classic.
But it wasn’t smooth sailing for the Oilers. Florida answered with three straight goals, two of them coming from the ever-dangerous Sam Bennett, flipping the game on its head and giving the Panthers a 3–1 lead midway through the second period.
Edmonton, however, showed resilience and composure. Goals from Viktor Arvidsson and Mattias Ekholm leveled the score, with Connor McDavid playing the role of playmaker with two key assists. The Oilers dominated the latter stages of the contest, outshooting Florida 24–8 during the third period and overtime.
