Leon Draisaitl Makes NHL History with Fourth Overtime Winner as Oilers Tie Stanley Cup Final in Game 4 Thriller

It’s becoming a familiar scene — one that has already etched itself into hockey folklore: Leon Draisaitl, arms outstretched, teammates mobbing him, and a deafening roar from the home crowd. For the fourth time in the 2025 NHL Playoffs, Draisaitl delivered the final blow in overtime, lifting the Edmonton Oilers to a stunning 5-4 win over the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night.

In a series that’s had no shortage of drama, Game 4 may have been its most pulse-pounding installment yet. With Florida threatening to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series, the Oilers, led by their German superstar, pulled off a comeback for the ages — one that tied the Final at two games apiece and gave Edmonton new life heading back to Sunrise for Game 5.

For Draisaitl, the goal was more than just another highlight; it was historic. No player in NHL history has ever scored four overtime goals in a single postseason — until now. And yet, while the moment belonged to Draisaitl, the victory was forged through a collective effort of resilience, grit, and raw desperation.

The game started with fireworks, as has become tradition in this Finals. Florida jumped out to a quick lead midway through the first period thanks to Carter Verhaeghe’s power-play tally — his ninth goal of the playoffs. The Panthers, fueled by a suffocating forecheck and some crisp puck movement, extended their lead just minutes later through Anton Lundell. Edmonton found itself trailing 2-0 and the vibe at Rogers Place turned tense.

But the Oilers didn’t panic. They’ve been here before.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch, whose poise behind the bench has been a steadying force throughout the postseason, called for composure. And his team responded.

Zach Hyman cut the deficit in half with a rocket from the right circle off a McDavid feed late in the first. It was the exact spark the Oilers needed — not just on the scoreboard but emotionally. As the second period got underway, Edmonton pressed even harder, leading to a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins equalizer early in the frame. Suddenly, the crowd was back in it, and the momentum was swinging north.

But Florida wouldn’t go quietly. Matthew Tkachuk, ever the agitator and big-moment player, buried a loose puck in front midway through the second to restore the Panthers’ lead, silencing the building again. Then came a stunning fourth goal from Sam Reinhart just 90 seconds later — a brilliant backhander that beat Stuart Skinner high and clean.

Down 4-2 with under a period and a half to play, Edmonton was again forced to dig deep. It was then that McDavid and Draisaitl — the league’s most feared duo — took over.

McDavid’s weaving rush through three defenders led to a rebound goal for Evan Bouchard at 13:41 of the second, pulling Edmonton within one. From that moment on, the Oilers looked like a team possessed.

The third period was a clinic in urgency. Florida, despite its lead, appeared more conservative, possibly trying to protect the advantage. That backfired with 5:16 left in regulation when Draisaitl, quiet until then, threaded a no-look pass to Hyman crashing the net. Hyman’s deflection tied the game 4-4 and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

As the final horn sounded, sending the game to overtime, you could feel the tension. The stakes couldn’t have been higher. Win, and Edmonton ties the series; lose, and Florida heads home with a 3-1 cushion and a shot to win the Cup on home ice.

But when overtime arrives, so too does Leon Draisaitl.

Just 6:12 into the extra frame, after a chaotic scramble behind Florida’s net, McDavid found Draisaitl alone in the slot. One flick of the wrist later, and the puck was in the back of the net. Game over. Series tied.

“I’m just trying to be in the right place at the right time,” Draisaitl said after the game, grinning with the exhaustion of a man who’d just spent nearly 25 minutes on the ice. “Connor did all the hard work. I just had to finish it.”

Modest as ever, Draisaitl’s performance this postseason is anything but. With 27 points and counting, he’s making a strong case for the Conn Smythe Trophy — especially now that the Oilers are just two wins away from their first Stanley Cup since 1990.

“He’s one of the best players in the world for a reason,” said Knoblauch postgame. “You look at the way he shows up in these moments — you can’t teach that. That’s instinct, that’s will, that’s greatness.”

Greatness is what this series has showcased at every turn. From McDavid’s dazzling speed and Florida’s punishing defense, to the goaltending swings and seesaw momentum, the 2025 Stanley Cup Final has lived up to every bit of its hype. Now, with the series tied, it becomes a best-of-three for hockey’s ultimate prize.

Florida, for its part, isn’t panicking. Head coach Paul Maurice was measured in his comments after the game.

“We had our chances. That’s hockey,” Maurice said. “They made one more play than we did tonight. Now it’s our turn to respond.”

Still, the Panthers have to be feeling a bit of pressure now. They had a two-goal lead late in the second. They let it slip. They’re going home with the series tied instead of on the brink of their first championship. The weight of that may not show yet — but it’s there.

Game 5 looms large, scheduled for Saturday night at Amerant Bank Arena. Both teams will have Friday to regroup, recover, and refine. For the Oilers, it’s about building on the belief that they’ve stoked with each passing win. For Florida, it’s about rediscovering the formula that earned them wins in Games 2 and 3.

But no matter the adjustments, one thing is certain: if Game 5 goes to overtime, every set of eyes will be on No. 29 in blue and orange.

“He’s built for this,” McDavid said. “He lives for it. We all do. That’s why we play the game.”

And for those watching, that’s why they can’t look away.

The 2025 Stanley Cup Final, already one for the ages, has become must-watch theater — and Leon Draisaitl is the leading man.

As Edmonton flies east tied 2-2, the dream is alive, the Cup still up for grabs, and history still being written one overtime at a time.