Leon Draisaitl scores another OT goal as Oilers beat Panthers in Stanley Cup Game 4 to even series
Leon Draisaitl (center) celebrates after scoring the game-winning overtime goal in the Oilers' 5-4 overtime win in Game 4 of the NHL finals.
SUNRISE, Fla. — Falling behind three goals after 20 minutes, the Edmonton Oilers scored three of their own over the next 20 to erase their deficit.
They took the lead, only to give up the tying goal to the Florida Panthers in the final seconds of regulation to send another game between the hockey heavyweights to overtime.
Advertisement
Riding the waves of emotion through what's turning into an epic showdown in the Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers beat the Panthers 5-4 in Game 4 on Thursday night to tie the series on Leon Draisaitl's NHL playoff-record fourth OT goal.
'Games like that, it's exhausting — it's a roller coaster,' Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said. 'Two good teams playing as hard as they are, playing the right way. Obviously with what's on the line, it's stressful. There's a lot on the line, but it is fun and I think our guys are having fun, enjoying this moment.'
They're enjoying it much more tied at two games apiece than they would have down 3-1 and on the brink of losing to Florida in the final for a second consecutive year.
They go home to Western Canada for Game 5 on Saturday night all even.
Advertisement
'Better than it could have been, but obviously a long way to go,' said Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who scored the Oilers' first goal in Game 4. 'We're just excited to get back home and play in front of our fans, and Saturday night is going to be pretty fun.'
Draisaitl's goal 11:18 into OT — the fourth session of extra hockey between these teams — came after Jake Walman put Edmonton ahead with six minutes left in the third period and Sam Reinhart tied it for Florida with 19.5 seconds left.
Leon Draisaitl (center) celebrates after scoring the game-winning overtime goal in the Oilers' 5-4 overtime win in Game 4 of the NHL finals. AP
'That's what we do: We're a resilient group,' said Draisaitl, who also scored to win Game 1 in OT. 'We're never going to quit no matter what. We'll take it and go home.'
Advertisement
The Oilers became the first road team to rally from down three to win a game in the final since the Montreal Canadiens against the Seattle Metropolitans in 1919.
Only six teams have come back from down three in the final, the last time in 2006.
Leon Draisaitl (left) celebrates after scoring the game-winning overtime goal in the Oilers' Game 4 win over the Panthers. Getty Images
Edmonton fell behind 3-0 in the first period on a pair of goals by Matthew Tkachuk and another with 41.7 seconds left from Anton Lundell, which could have been a backbreaker.
Knoblauch pulled Stuart Skinner after his starter allowed those three goals on 17 shots in the first, when the ice was tilted against him and his teammates did not have much of a pushback.
Advertisement
In went Calvin Pickard, the journeyman backup who won all six of his starts this playoffs before getting injured, and he stopped the first 18 shots he faced with some more big saves coming in overtime before Draisaitl scored.
Leon Draisaitl celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in the Oilers' Game 4 overtime win over the Panthers. AP
Pickard's play paved the way for the once-in-a-century comeback, with Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse and Vasily Podkolzin all scoring in the second.
The Oilers held on, went ahead on Walman's goal and dealt with more adversity when Reinhart sent it to overtime — the first final since 2013 with three of the first four games needing extra hockey and the fifth all time.
'There were chances everywhere,' Tkachuk said. 'Both teams had good looks. I mean, one of their players it hits off a skate and hits the post. We got lucky there. It's a game of inches.'
Advertisement
SUNRISE, Fla. — Leon Draisaitl scored in overtime for the fourth time this playoffs, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Florida Panthers 5-4 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night to tie the series, erasing a three-goal deficit and bouncing back after allowing the late tying goal.
Jake Walman gave the Oilers their first lead with 6:24 left in the third period, before Sam Reinhart scored with 19.5 seconds left to send it to overtime.
Three of the first four games of this final have needed extra time to be settled, the first time that has happened since 2013 and fifth time in NHL history.
Draisaitl's goal 11:18 into OT — the fourth session of extra hockey between these teams — sent the series back to Western Canada all even.
Advertisement
Game 5 of what's turning into a classic back-and-forth series between two hockey heavyweights is Saturday night in Edmonton.
The Oilers became the first road team to rally from down three to win a game in the final since the Montreal Canadiens against the Seattle Metropolitans in 1919.
Only six teams have come back from down three in the final in NHL history, the last time in 2006.
Edmonton is very much in it now, even after it looked like it would be blown out of the series.
The Oilers fell behind 3-0 in the first period on a pair of goals by Matthew Tkachuk and another with 41.7 seconds left from Anton Lundell, which could have been a back-breaker.
Advertisement
Coach Kris Knoblauch pulled Stuart Skinner after his starter allowed those three goals on 17 shots in the first, when the ice was tilted against him and his teammates did not have much of a pushback.
In went Calvin Pickard, the journeyman backup who won all six of his starts this playoffs before getting injured.
Pickard made some acrobatic saves, stopping the first 18 shots he faced and paving the way for a once-in-a-century comeback.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored on Edmonton's first power play, Darnell Nurse beat Sergei Bobrovsky with another shot up high and Vasily Podkolzin made it 3-all with less than five minutes left in the second.
Advertisement
With Draisaitl in the penalty box to start the third, Oilers were on their heels for several minutes and relied on Pickard to keep the score tied.
He turned aside every shot he faced until Walman fired the puck past Bobrovsky to silence a vast majority of the crowd and incite a roar out of the Edmonton fans among those in attendance along with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
Panthers fans had one more chance to cheer when Reinhart tied it late.
Then Draisaitl quieted them again.
With Hockey Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Lundqvist also in the building, the Oilers made sure they would not go quietly and fall behind 3-1 in the final like they did last year.
They forced Game 7 then but ultimately fell short, with Florida winning the Cup for the first time in franchise history.
Now each of these teams is a couple of victories away from being champions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
28 minutes ago
- Newsweek
DraftKings Promo Code: Claim $300 Bonus For MLB, U.S. Open Final Round
New users can score $300 in bonus bets on Sunday's MLB games or the final round of the U.S. Open when they sign up for a new sportsbook account with the DraftKings promo code. Just click here to start the sign-up process and bet $5 on any market and secure your reward if your bet wins. Sunday's MLB slate features plenty of interesting matchups, including Yankees-Red Sox and Dodgers-Giants. These games, along with the conclusion of the U.S. Open, provides plenty of chances for new users to score $300 in bonus bets with the DraftKings promo code offer. DraftKings Promo Code Offers $300 MLB, U.S. Open Bonus DraftKings Promo Code Sign Up Through Our Links – No Code Needed New User Offer Bet $5, Win $300 in Bonus Bets In-App Promos MLB Parlay Profit Boost, U.S. Open Mystery Boost, WNBA SGP Boost, etc. Terms and Conditions New Customers – 21+ in Eligible States Bonus Last Verified On June 15, 2025 Information Confirmed By Newsweek Sports Betting Staff This offer is a great chance for new users to start off their accounts the right way, but keep in mind that you must win your $5 bet to secure the $300 in bonus bets. If you plan to bet on one of Sunday's MLB games, you might want to look into some prop bets instead of making a simple moneyline bet. Predicting the number of strikeouts a pitcher records or if a player will get a hit is likely easier to predict than the outcome of a game. You could also bet on where a player will finish in the U.S. Open for Sunday, too. Regardless of the sport you want to bet on, make sure your wager has odds of -500 or longer. Once you place that bet, wait for it to settle. If your bet wins, you will receive 12 $25 bonus bets that are valid for the next seven days. Father's Day Highlights At DraftKings Once you are set up with your new DraftKings Sportsbook account, you can take advantage of various in-app offers, including profit boosts, for Sunday's events. These are available for MLB games and the U.S. Open. Now is also a good time to sign up before the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Final end. There will be in-app promotions that you can take advantage of for those games as well. The NBA Finals continues on Monday night with Game 5, while the Stanley Cup Final could conclude with Game 6 in Florida on Tuesday. How To Sign Up With DraftKings Promo Code All you have to do to claim this promo is click here or on any of our links and then create an account. You will automatically be given the welcome offer by clicking our link. To set up your account, you will be asked to provide basic identifying information, like your name, address, date of birth, and more. From there, you will just need to make an initial deposit that covers your $5 bet. Once you place that opening wager, wait for it to settle. If your bet wins, you will get your $300 in bonus bets that are valid for the next seven days. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Corey Conners withdraws from U.S. Open with injury on Sunday
OAKMONT, Pa. — Corey Conners has withdrawn from the U.S. Open ahead of the final round. The Canadian injured his right wrist hitting bunker shots both Thursday and Saturday, but arrived at Oakmont on Sunday willing to give it a go. After a brief warmup, the 33-year-old Listowel, Ont. native decided he couldn't play and alerted the USGA that he was withdrawing. After a sizzling start to Saturday's third round that saw the Canadian star vault his way onto the leaderboard with a front nine 32, Conners injured his wrist — actually re-injured his wrist — playing a bunker shot at the 11th hole. 'I didn't think he was going to play the rest of the way,' playing partner Michael Kim said after the round. 'I feel bad for him because he was playing so good.' Conners was clearly affected by the injury, shooting 40 on the back nine for a two-over 72. Conners could be seen flexing his hand after hitting shots for several holes following the incident. Conners went immediately for treatment following his round. He's eight-over for the week and his status for Sunday is unknown. After calling for a doctor and taking all of the available 15 minute medical time, Conners opted to play-on at the 11th hole, making bogey on the hole before finally heading to the 12th tee after the long wait. 'It happens once in a while,' Kim said about the injury delay. 'And 12 is a bit of backup hole anyway.' Playing a U.S. Open round at Oakmont with a wrist injury is like hitting your thumb with a hammer on the first nail and knowing you have 50 more to hit. After finishing the round with a bogey at the 18th, the injured Conners proved his Canadian bonafides by thanking Kim for his patience during the day. The incident on Saturday was a re-injury from a bunker shot on the 17th hole on Thursday. That day, Conners immediately winced following a difficult bunker shot from a greenside bunker on the 17th hole. With his ball up against the face of the bunker, Conners played a nice shot onto the green with next to no room to swing. But there was a wire from the bunker camera under the sand that Conners snagged with his wedge. 'A little shock to it,' Conners said after Thursday's incident. 'The club didn't follow through very far there.' Conners made par that day, and told the Sun he was totally fine physically after his round, but another severe impact on Saturday nearly ended his U.S. Open. Conners birdied three of the first five holes on Saturday and hit four approach shots within five feet over the stretch. The Canadian entered the week ninth in the season-long FedEx Cup standings. Nick Taylor heads to Sunday with a chance for a great finish at a major, and he can be a dangerous man on Sundays. The five-time PGA Tour winner's scores have improved every round, and he hit 14 of 18 greens during Saturday's level-par 70. Taylor will begin Sunday at four-over par in a tie for 11th. 'I'm looking forward to it,' Taylor said of the Sunday challenge. 'I hit it well enough today to probably shoot three-under if I made a few more putts.' 'I'm excited about that, of course there is no guarantee, but if I can hit it off the tee as well on Sunday, I'll have plenty of good looks.' Mackenzie Hughes is nine-over and Taylor Pendrith is 12-over.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Why the Edmonton Oilers' defensive deployment reflects performance, injury
The Edmonton Oilers received a welcome addition to the defence just before the start of this year's Stanley Cup Final. Mattias Ekholm, the most complete defender on the team when healthy, played in one game (the May 29 clincher versus the Dallas Stars) and then settled in as a regular for the final versus the Florida Panthers. Advertisement Ekholm's return, married to various injuries, maladies and struggles, has reset the defensive depth chart since June 1. How much has changed? Which Oilers defenceman has seen the biggest push? Biggest fade? Here's a look. Using five-on-five deployment via Natural Stat Trick, we can establish ice time during the early rounds of the final and then compare it to the most recent run against the Panthers. In the first three rounds of the postseason, the Oilers averaged 51:32 five-on-five minutes per game. Against Florida, that total has increased to 56:49 per game through the first four contests. Despite a large amount of special teams time, the three overtime games in the final mean we have a much larger per game sample in the finals. All things being equal (three pairings dividing the minutes evenly), we should expect an increase of about 90 seconds for each of the regular defenders in the Panthers games. Here are the numbers, by defenceman, through five games of the final: All numbers five-on-five, via Natural Stat Trick The increased minutes for Ekholm reflect his return to the lineup and the fact that Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch brought him along slowly in the one playoff game played before the final. The revelation here is Evan Bouchard. The young puck mover had an uneven regular season and his share of critics at times during the playoffs. The coaching staff has elevated his minutes to the point where he is being deployed with the same frequency as Brett Kulak and Darnell Nurse. Bouchard is the man who got the push. No player on this list is being faded significantly. When the increased overall minutes are considered (the increase in five-on-five minutes in the final), it is Ekholm and Bouchard who have been asked to step up. The coaching staff is using Kulak with Bouchard and running Ekholm with Jake Walman, while trying to find a match for Nurse (it was Troy Stecher on Saturday night). Advertisement As has been the case all season, the defence in Edmonton is in a state of flux. Fans should expect more tweaks for Game 6. All of those five-on-five minutes are not created equal. The Oilers' blue line has been running up against high-quality opponents all spring, and that's an important fact despite the relatively small sample of the postseason. As an example, Bouchard faced the Phillip Danault line (52 minutes, 2-6 goals) in the series versus Los Angeles Kings; Jack Eichel in the Vegas Golden Knights series (5-1 goals in 37 minutes) and Mikko Rantanen (3-0 goals in 35 minutes) when facing the Stars. In the final, Bouchard's most common opponent has been Sam Reinhart (48 minutes, 2-1 goals). Here are the goal shares by each Edmonton regular defenceman, again split between the first three series and the current one against the Panthers. All numbers five-on-five, via Natural Stat Trick Those who describe Bouchard as a one-dimensional player have been less vocal during this year's playoff run. The coaching staff has increased his five-on-five playing time during the final, which is the most important series of games all season. Bouchard has delivered in those minutes. He has shown exceptional consistency in being on the proper side of the goal share all spring, with his 60 percent goal share No. 2 (behind Kulak) among Edmonton defencemen who have played 10 or more playoff games. Also notable is the fall-off by the Walman and John Klingberg pairing. Those struggles have contributed to Klingberg's exit from the lineup in favour of Stecher. The key injury news here is Ekholm's positive impact. Although Walman played well in the veteran's absence during the first three rounds of the postseason, Ekholm's exceptional range of abilities is evident against the Panthers. Advertisement Bouchard is scoring at 2.08 points per 60 during five-on-five play this spring, which includes three assists in the final. Ekholm (1-3-4 against the Panthers) and Nurse (1-1-2 versus Florida) have also contributed. Running 2-4-6 on the power play during the postseason, Bouchard is also contributing in a big way with the man advantage. Over the entire playoff spring, this edition of the Oilers' defence has been top-flight offensively. Bouchard's totals, including all game states (7-16-23 in 21 games), have him No. 1 across the NHL by some margin (via Natural Stat Trick). Walman (2-7-9) is in a tie for No. 6 among defencemen in playoff scoring, and Nurse (3-5-8) is in a tie for No. 9. The Oilers' defence has aided the offence of the team this spring. A quick note on Bouchard's contribution to the penalty kill. Injuries and loss of effectiveness have opened up an opportunity for the young defenceman, and he has played well enough to increase his PK role substantially. After averaging just 14 seconds in the discipline during the regular season, Bouchard now stands at just shy of two minutes per game during the playoffs. The injury to Ekholm forced general manager Stan Bowman to be active at the trade deadline. Acquiring Walman, after the mid-winter signing of Klingberg, allowed the organization to overcome the loss of Ekholm until his return. Injuries have been a big story for this team over the entire season, but the recovery of Ekholm was timely and has turned the team's top-six defence into a strength. The continued emergence of Bouchard as a complete defenceman, despite many detractors who object to his casual style, remains the major story for Edmonton's defence this spring. The Bouchard contract will be a monster this summer. For now, no real argument can be made to counter the suggestion he is delivering on an extreme value contract ($3.9 million AAV via PuckPedia) at this time. (Photo of Mattias Ekholm and Sam Reinhart: Perry Nelson / Imagn Images)
