The Edmonton Oilers made a stunning comeback to defeat the Florida Panthers 5-4 in overtime, leveling the Stanley Cup Final series at 2-2. This victory is particularly noteworthy as the Oilers managed to overcome a three-goal deficit, a feat not achieved by any team in 106 years during a Stanley Cup Final on the road. The last occurrence was in 1919 when the Montreal Canadiens triumphed over the Seattle Metropolitans.
The game started with the Panthers dominating, establishing a swift 3-0 lead thanks to power play goals from Matthew Tkachuk and a goal from Anton Lundell. In a bid to turn the tide, Oilers’ coach replaced starting goaltender Stuart Skinner with backup Calvin Pickard at the onset of the second period, a strategic move that ignited a turnaround for Edmonton.
The Oilers found their rhythm as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, and Vasily Podkolzin scored to tie the game at 3-3. Just when it seemed Florida could secure the win, Jake Walman put the Oilers ahead 4-3. However, in a dramatic twist, Sam Reinhart scored for the Panthers in the final seconds, forcing the game into overtime.
In overtime, Leon Draisaitl, who had previously been the hero in Game 1, secured the win for the Oilers just after the 11-minute mark, marking his fourth overtime goal of the postseason. This makes him the record-holder for the most overtime goals in a single NHL postseason.
Draisaitl praised his teammates for their resilience and emphasized the need to improve their starts in future games. “We’d like to put ourselves into better situations for ourselves so we don’t have to constantly fight back,” he said. The next game of the series is set to take place in Edmonton at Rogers Place on Saturday, promising to heighten the tension and excitement of this competitive series.
With their determination and ability to rally from a challenging position, the Oilers have set a hopeful tone for their fans as they look forward to Game 5.