The Edmonton Oilers emerged victorious in the opening game of the Stanley Cup final against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. The winning goal came from Leon Draisaitl in overtime, his second goal of the night, assisted by Connor McDavid.
Draisaitl had also scored the first goal of the game just over a minute after the start at the energetic Rogers Place. Despite the Oilers outshooting the Panthers 15-6 in the first period, Sam Bennett of Florida managed to equalize midway through the period.
Later, Brad Marchand’s power-play goal gave the Panthers a lead in the first period, leaving the Oilers trailing by a goal at the end of the period. In the second period, Bennett scored his second goal of the night, extending the Panthers’ lead to 3-1, but the Oilers quickly responded with a goal from Viktor Arvidsson.
In the third period, Ekholm, who had missed most of the playoffs due to injury, scored his first postseason goal, sending the game to overtime. The Oilers had 36 shots compared to the Panthers’ 26 after regulation time.
The overtime period was intense, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. With less than two minutes remaining, the Panthers’ Tomas Nosek was penalized for delay of game, leading to Draisaitl’s power-play goal, assisted by McDavid and Corey Perry, securing a thrilling victory for the Oilers.
This season’s Stanley Cup final is a highly anticipated rematch after the previous year’s heartbreaking defeat for the Oilers against the Panthers. Edmonton now has the advantage of playing the first two games at home before the series shifts to Florida.
The Panthers, led by head coach Paul Maurice and key players like Matthew Tkachuk, Seth Jones, and Brad Marchand, have been strong contenders in the postseason. The addition of new talent has bolstered their lineup, setting the stage for an exciting and competitive series between the two well-matched teams.
