The Florida Panthers looked poised to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the Stanley Cup Final, but what began as a dominant performance ended in heartbreak.
Florida built a 3-0 lead in the first period with two early power-play goals from Matthew Tkachuk and a goal from Anton Lundell. The defending champions had never lost a playoff game after going up by three goals in the first period — until now.
The Edmonton Oilers stormed back, scoring four unanswered goals to seize a 4-3 lead. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, and Vasily Podkolzin ignited the comeback in the second period, while Leon Draisaitl sealed it in overtime with the game-winner at 11:18, giving Edmonton a 5-4 win and tying the series 2-2.
Florida’s Sam Reinhart tied the game dramatically with just 19.5 seconds left in regulation — the second-latest tying goal in Stanley Cup Final history. But it wasn’t enough.
The Oilers also made a key goaltending change that fueled their momentum. After allowing three first-period goals, Stuart Skinner was replaced by Calvin Pickard, and Edmonton found its rhythm.
Historically, teams leading by three or more in the first period of a Stanley Cup Final game were 37-0. Edmonton became just the seventh team in NHL history to overcome such a deficit and win.
Now, the series heads back to Edmonton with renewed intensity. While this loss stings, the Panthers have shown resilience before. They’ll need to tap into that experience if they hope to reclaim control in their bid for back-to-back titles.
