Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Oilers and the Panthers did not disappoint. Not at all, in fact. Both teams put on a great show, and it sets the stage for an exciting rest of the series. Still, there were five moments in particular that stood out in last night’s game.
Draisaitl’s Brilliance Early in the Game
In 2024, Carter Verhaeghe scored the very first goal of the Final. But this time... it was Leon Draisaitl who opened the scoring for the 2025 Final. The German wasted no time making his mark—just 1:06 into the game, Draisaitl would beat Sergei Bobrovsky to set the tone. Right away, you could feel that the Oilers were in control and hungry. It was important, in fact, for the Oilers to start the game strong. They were playing in front of their home crowd, and it was the perfect time to grab the momentum right from the opening faceoff. But...
Bennett’s second goal in the game
Things got complicated for the Edmonton team afterward. Sam Bennett scored to tie the game... and the disliked Brad Marchand did the same less than two minutes after seeing his teammate even the score. But it was especially Bennett’s second goal in the game, which made it 3-1, that had a big impact. At that point, hope was starting to fade for the Oilers and their fans. When the Panthers are in the lead, they rarely lose... and at 3-1, it seemed logical to believe the Panthers would go home with the win.
Mattias Ekholm’s game-tying goal in the third period
However, the Oilers have proven one thing since the start of the playoffs: this team never gives up. And we saw it again last night. Viktor Arvidsson managed to beat the Panthers’ goalie in the second period, just after Bennett scored his second goal of the game. At 3-2, the game got even tighter and the play became more intense. Classic playoff hockey! Then, in the third period, Mattias Ekholm brought everyone back to square one by tying the game. That’s when you could feel the Oilers waking up. They played better after that, avoiding defensive mistakes... and all of that made overtime necessary to decide the winner between the two teams.
Stuart Skinner’s huge save in overtime
Overtime delivered some truly high-level hockey. You could feel that both teams wanted to avoid mistakes, but it’s often in those moments that scoring chances arise at both ends of the ice. Carter Verhaeghe came within a hair of beating Stuart Skinner in overtime to give his team the win, but the Oilers’ goalie held strong against the Panthers’ attack. That save truly changed the course of the game from that point on...
Tomas Nosek’s penalty
When the emotions run that high, it’s easy to make a mistake. Just ask Tomas Nosek : the Panthers player was sent off late in the first overtime period for shooting the puck over the glass. The penalty came at a really crucial moment in the game because we also know that the Oilers’ power play has everything it takes to cause serious damage. And guess what? That’s exactly what happened.
Draisaitl's game winner
Leon Draisaitl is dangerous enough on his own. He doesn’t need much space to be effective in the offensive zone... but when the Oilers get a power play, it’s tough to stop #29. And in overtime, right after Nosek’s penalty, the Panthers made a huge mistake—leaving Draisaitl ALL ALONE in the slot. The captain, Connor McDavid, fed him the puck with a sublime saucer pass, and Draisaitl had no trouble beating Sergei Bobrovsky with a perfectly timed one-timer shot. The Panthers’ goalie didn’t stand a chance, and just like that, because of Nosek’s mistake and the Panthers’ penalty-killing unit, the Oilers won the first game of the series—one that promises to be truly thrilling for hockey fans.