NHL Makes Leon Draisaitl Announcement After Wild Oilers-Panthers Game 1 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The series opener of the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Final was one to remember. In a game that saw both teams take turns in making big goals, it was Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers who came out on top against the Florida Panthers at Rogers Place in Edmonton via a 4-3 score on Thursday night.
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The former Hart Memorial Trophy winner was the first one to light the lamp in the series, needing just 66 seconds into the contest to find the back of the net and put Edmonton on the board for a 1-0 lead.
The Panthers scored the next three goals, including one from Sam Bennett early in the second period to give Florida a 3-1 lead. But Viktor Arvidsson answered that goal with his own a little over a minute later to cut Edmonton’s deficit in half.
Mattias Ekholm scored what would become the lone goal from either team in the third period, sending the contest into overtime, where Draisaitl weaved his magic.
Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) reacts after scoring the game-winning goal against the Panthers.Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Three former Hart Memorial Trophy winners combined for Draisaitl’s game-winning goal, as it came off assists from Connor McDavid and Corey Perry.
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That goal was also Draisaitl’s third in overtime, so far in the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. According to the NHL’s post on X after Game 1, Draisaitl is now tied for the most overtime goals in a single playoffs.
Back in the first round, Draisaitl scored an overtime goal in Game 4 of the Oilers’ series versus the Los Angeles Kings. In the second round, he struck again in OT with a game-winning score in Game 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The win over Florida showed the Oilers’ lethal offense that makes Edmonton so tough to beat and stave off even with a significant lead. Among all teams that made the 2025 playoffs, the Oilers average the most goals per game with 4.06.
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Related: Oilers’ Connor McDavid Enters Wayne Gretzky Territory in Game 1 Win vs. Panthers
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.