Leon Draisaitl celebrates: He was the match winner. © APA / CODIE MCLACHLAN

Big Draisaitl show: Edmonton wins first final game

Leon Draisaitl scored the Edmonton Oilers' opening victory in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers. It was the first showpiece of the finals series.

June 05, 2025

From: dpa

In the 4-3 overtime tie, the German ice hockey superstar gave the hosts the lead after just 66 seconds and then scored the winning goal. Draisaitl made it 4-3 with 31 seconds left in overtime.

"We were a bit more mature. Every game has its own story, but we only needed one chance and took advantage of it," said Draisaitl. "I thought it was a pretty even game."

The Panthers took a 3-1 lead at one point. Mattias Ekholm equalized the game against the defending champions in the final period. Then came Draisaitl's big moment in overtime, capitalizing on a precise pass from exceptional Connor McDavid.

To win the title, a team needs four wins in the best-of-seven series.

This finale brings explosiveness

The two teams had already faced each other in the final series last season. The Panthers won the first three games before the Oilers won three games to force a decisive seventh game. The Panthers won 2-1 at home and clinched the title. This season, the Oilers have home-court advantage.

The second game in the series will be Saturday night (CEST) again in Edmonton. The third and fourth games will be in Florida, and a fifth game would be in Canada again.