A year after going goalless in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, Leon Draisaitl came out swinging in the rematch.
Draisaitl played the hero for the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 against the Florida Panthers, bookending the game with a pair of goals and scoring in overtime to seal the 4-3 victory.
“We don’t win the game tonight without him, so that tells you that story,” Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm said of Draisaitl’s performance.
After nearly a week-long break since Edmonton’s last game, Draisaitl wasted no time getting his name on the board on Wednesday night, sniping the puck on a rebound to score just 66 seconds into the series.
The Oilers gave up that early-game lead but evened the score in the third period to push the game to overtime. Though Edmonton drove play for much of the extra frame, nearly scoring on a breakaway attempt from Kasperi Kapanen, it was a late-period puck over the glass penalty from Florida that gave the Oilers the opening they needed.
With less than a minute to go before intermission, Draisaitl struck on a one-timer from the right faceoff circle, cashing in on a stellar pass from Connor McDavid to complete the comeback effort.
Postgame, he credited his teammates for their work setting up his scoring chance.
“I’m standing there capitalizing on this, but it’s what happens over there,” he told TNT’s Derren Peng. “It’s four great hockey plays in a row, right? That’s what our team is all about. We get excited for each other and we never quit. Very, very fortunate to be part of this great group.”
Draisaitl has now tied the NHL record with three overtime game-winning goals this postseason. He also became just the fourth player in NHL history to score a power-play goal in overtime in a Stanley Cup Final, joining Kevin Shattenkirk (2020), Petr Sykora (2008), Denis Potvin (1980), and Bill Cook (1933).
With a monstrous 27 points (9g, 18a) in 17 playoff games, Draisaitl ranks second in both points and goals this postseason, already within four points of his 2024 playoff scoring total (10g, 21a, 31p) despite having played eight fewer games. McDavid, who earned a pair of assists in Game 1, highlighted Draisaitl’s impact on both ends of the ice.
“You can’t put a number on it,” McDavid said postgame. “He’s invaluable. Does so many good things. Clutch, faceoffs — you name it, he does it. Doesn’t get enough respect or credit for his defensive abilities. When he’s dug in, there’s not many better. Maybe nobody better.”
The Oilers are now up 1-0 in the series, holding a lead in the finals for the first time since winning the Cup in 1990. They’ll look to extend that lead at home on Friday night when they face the Panthers in Game 2.
