Leon Draisaitl’s Overtime Winner in Oilers’ Game 1 Stanley Cup Final Victory Over Panthers Earns AGLC GameSense June Play Honour

The month of June delivered countless unforgettable moments across the sporting world, but one stood out as a defining highlight for Edmonton Oilers fans and hockey enthusiasts alike. Leon Draisaitl’s thrilling overtime goal that lifted the Oilers to a crucial Game 1 victory in the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers has officially been named the AGLC GameSense Play of the Month for June—a testament to both its impact and the electrifying drama it brought to the grandest stage in hockey.

For the Oilers, that moment was more than just another goal—it was the punctuation mark on a night that reignited championship dreams for a franchise rich in tradition but hungry for modern-day glory. And for Draisaitl, already among the NHL’s most prolific superstars, it further cemented his reputation as a player who shines brightest when the pressure peaks.

The scene was set for drama on that historic evening. After a 31-year absence from the Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers returned to the championship series, facing off against the Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers—a team equally desperate to etch its name into hockey immortality.

The game lived up to the billing, with tension, skill, and physicality on display from the opening puck drop. Both teams traded scoring chances and punishing hits, with neither side willing to concede an inch of ice. As regulation ended with the teams deadlocked, the contest fittingly required sudden death overtime to decide a winner—a scenario hockey fans yearn for and players dream about.

Enter Leon Draisaitl.

With just over four minutes gone in the extra period, the Oilers’ German phenom found himself in the right place at the right time, but make no mistake—the finish was pure brilliance, not luck.

The play began with Edmonton controlling possession deep in the Panthers’ zone. Connor McDavid, Draisaitl’s longtime running mate and the league’s reigning MVP, weaved his way around defenders before sliding a deceptive pass to defenseman Evan Bouchard at the blue line. Bouchard wasted no time, firing a low shot towards the net that ricocheted off traffic in front.

As chaos ensued around the Panthers’ crease, Draisaitl instinctively corralled the loose puck near the right faceoff circle. In one fluid motion, he adjusted his angle, creating a shooting lane, and unleashed a perfectly placed wrist shot that sailed over the shoulder of Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, rippling the top corner of the net.

The arena erupted. The Oilers bench cleared. For the first time in decades, Edmonton celebrated a Stanley Cup Final victory.

Draisaitl, known for his lethal combination of size, vision, and scoring touch, showcased all of those qualities in the game-winning sequence. The goal marked his 11th of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs and further solidified his reputation as one of the league’s most clutch performers.

The significance of the goal extended beyond the scoreboard. By stealing Game 1 on the road, the Oilers seized home-ice advantage in the series, delivered a psychological blow to the Panthers, and provided a surge of belief to their fanbase, which has been eagerly waiting for a return to hockey supremacy.

The AGLC GameSense Play of the Month recognizes not only the technical brilliance of the play but also the awareness, composure, and decision-making under pressure that are hallmarks of responsible and intelligent performance—qualities GameSense promotes in both athletes and the broader public when it comes to making informed choices.

For Draisaitl, the moment was as much about instinct as it was about preparation.

“Those are the situations you live for as a hockey player,” Draisaitl said during post-game interviews. “Overtime in the Stanley Cup Final—there’s nothing bigger. I saw an opening, trusted my shot, and thankfully it went in.”

Trust, as it turns out, has been central to the Oilers’ journey this postseason. Led by head coach Kris Knoblauch, Edmonton entered the playoffs as one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league, with McDavid, Draisaitl, Bouchard, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins forming a formidable core. But questions persisted about their defensive structure, goaltending, and ability to close out tight games—the kinds of questions that only performances like Draisaitl’s Game 1 winner can help answer.

The Oilers’ resilience was on full display throughout that opening contest. Florida, boasting the likes of Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, and Bobrovsky between the pipes, tested Edmonton at every turn. Bobrovsky, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, had been stellar throughout the postseason and continued to frustrate the Oilers’ high-powered attack during regulation.

Yet, as champions often do, Edmonton stayed patient, trusted their process, and capitalized when the moment arose. Draisaitl’s goal was the reward for that discipline—and an unforgettable highlight that has already earned its place in Oilers folklore.

The AGLC GameSense Play of the Month recognition also shines a spotlight on the broader message of GameSense—encouraging people to make informed, responsible decisions, whether on the ice, at the gaming table, or in life. In selecting Draisaitl’s overtime goal, the panel of judges cited not only the skill involved but also the situational awareness, quick thinking, and execution under pressure, drawing parallels to the critical thinking required in responsible gaming.

Hockey fans across Alberta, and indeed across Canada, have rallied behind the Oilers’ latest playoff run, with dreams of bringing Lord Stanley’s Cup back to Edmonton for the first time since 1990. Draisaitl’s heroics in Game 1 have only intensified those hopes.

For many, his overtime winner wasn’t just a goal—it was a symbol of the Oilers’ belief, a spark that could propel the franchise back to the pinnacle of the sport. The fact that it’s now etched as the AGLC GameSense Play of June further ensures its place in history.

Looking ahead, both teams understand that one goal, however spectacular, is merely the beginning of what promises to be a fiercely contested series. The Panthers, resilient and battle-tested, responded in Game 2, leveling the series and setting up what’s expected to be a marathon showdown between two evenly matched clubs.

But regardless of how the 2025 Stanley Cup Final unfolds, Leon Draisaitl’s Game 1 overtime winner will remain a defining snapshot of the Oilers’ quest—a moment of brilliance, poise, and precision that captured the essence of playoff hockey and earned rightful recognition as June’s most unforgettable play.

For the Oilers faithful, it serves as a reminder: the glory days might just be returning to Edmonton, one clutch goal at a time.