Oilers outlast Panthers, 4-3, in OT in Stanley Cup Finals opener
EDMONTON, Alberta — Leon Draisaitl scored on the power play in overtime, Stuart Skinner made 29 saves and the Edmonton Oilers erased a multigoal deficit to beat the defending champion Florida Panthers 4-3 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final rematch on Wednesday night.
After Tomas Nosek's penalty for putting the puck over the glass, Draisaitl's goal 19:29 into OT sent the home fans into a frenzy and made sure the Oilers would not start this series like they did a year ago, when they fell behind three games to none.
A Canada-based NHL club hasn't hoisted Lord Stanley's famed chalice since 1993.
For a while, it looked like the Oilers would at least start the series trailing. Draisaitl's goal 66 seconds in was followed later in the first period by Sam Bennett deflecting a shot in past Stuart Skinner after falling into him.
How to watch the Stanley Cup finals
How to watch the Stanley Cup finals
The Oilers rallied in OT to pluck Game 1 from the Florida Panthers, 4-3, in the best-of-7 series Wednesday night in Edmonton.
A possible Game 7 would be June 20 in Edmonton. Eight of the 24 finals this century have gone the distance.
All games will be carried in the United States on TNT and truTV and streamed on Max.
A Canadian team hasn't won the Stanley Cup Final since the 1993 Montreal Canadiens.
Edmonton is a -125/+105 series favorite over Florida in Las Vegas.
Edmonton's Kris Knoblauch unsuccessfully challenged for goaltender interference, with the NHL's situation room ruling that his own player, Jake Walman, tripped Bennett into Skinner. The resulting penalty paved the way for Florida's Brad Marchand to score the go-ahead goal on the power play.
Bennett scoring his second of the night early in the second period put the Panthers up 3-1. They entered 31-0 over the past three playoffs since coach Paul Maurice took over when leading at the first or second intermission.
With Connor McDavid leading the way, the Oilers rallied. Fourth-liner Viktor Arvidsson brought the crowd back to life early in the second, and fellow Swede Mattias Ekholm — playing just his second game back from an extended injury absence — tied it with 13:27 remaining in regulation off a perfect pass from McDavid.
At the other end, Skinner made a handful of saves that were vital to keeping the Panthers from extending their lead or tying it late in the third. Florida counterpart Sergei Bobrovsky did the same, in between derisive chants of 'Sergei! Sergei!' that followed goals he allowed.
Skinner was greeted with friendlier chants of 'Stuuuu' after saves, including one in the first minute of overtime on a quality scoring chance. Bobrovsky stone-cold robbed Trent Frederic nine minutes in but eventually cracked.
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