The Edmonton Oilers took a crucial lead in the Stanley Cup Final with a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory over the defending champion Florida Panthers on Wednesday night. This win marks the first game of their rematch from last year's championship series. The teams will continue their battle on Friday in Edmonton before heading to Florida for Game 3 on Monday.

The Panthers, making their third consecutive Final appearance, are aiming to become the second team this decade to win back-to-back titles, following the Tampa Bay Lightning's victories in 2020 and 2021. Meanwhile, Oilers captain Connor McDavid is eager to capture his first Stanley Cup in his illustrious career.

In a notable statistic, the loss was Florida's first in 32 playoff games under head coach Paul Maurice when leading at either the first or second intermission. The Panthers held a 2-1 advantage after the first period and led 3-2 heading into the third.

Leon Draisaitl clinched the game for the Oilers with a power-play goal just 29 seconds before the end of overtime. This marked his third overtime goal of the playoffs, tying a single-season postseason record. Draisaitl's achievement matches the records set by Corey Perry in 2017 and Matthew Tkachuk in 2023.

This series is the 11th rematch in Stanley Cup Final history and the first since the Pittsburgh Penguins faced the Detroit Red Wings in 2009. Historically, rematches have seen the outcome flip from the previous year, with notable examples including the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders in 1984.

Draisaitl's performance in Game 1 included two goals, bringing him to the career milestone of 50 playoff goals, ranking him sixth on the Oilers' all-time list. McDavid contributed with two assists, giving him a total of 102 assists in the playoffs, tying him with Glenn Anderson for fourth on the franchise list.

Home teams have a strong track record when winning Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, boasting a 52-10 record. Additionally, 65 of the last 80 teams that won Game 1 went on to secure the championship.

The game also marked the 98th Cup Final match to be decided in overtime, the first since Florida's Carter Verhaeghe scored in Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. The distance between the two teams is significant, with 2,543 miles (4,092 kilometers) separating Sunrise, Florida, and Edmonton, Alberta. This distance is the longest between finalists in NHL history, presenting a logistical challenge for the teams as they travel back and forth for the games.