Stanley Cup Finals 2025 Game 1 Tonight: Live Stream, Start Time, and Biggest Storylines

Overtime thriller in Sunrise knots 2025 Stanley Cup Final at 2-2 SUNRISE, Fla. — The 2025 Stanley Cup Finals are officially a best-of-three after the Edmonton Oilers erased a three-goal deficit and stunned the Florida Panthers 5-4 in overtime of Game 4 on Thursday night. Key takeaways • Leon Draisaitl buried the winner at 11:18 of OT, completing Edmonton’s first three-goal comeback victory in Cup-Final history and handing Florida its first loss when leading 3-0 after one period. • The series shifts to Rogers Place for Saturday’s pivotal Game 5 (8 p.m. ET; TNT, truTV, Max, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports). • Superstar attendees Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce added celebrity buzz, while a sell-out crowd at Amerant Bank Arena reached near-record decibel levels. How Game 4 unfolded First period: Matthew Tkachuk struck twice on the power play and Anton Lundell added a late marker, giving Florida a 3-0 cushion and chasing any early Edmonton momentum. Second period: Coach Kris Knoblauch replaced struggling starter Stuart Skinner with Calvin Pickard, and the switch sparked the Oilers. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse and Vasily Podkolzin scored to level the game 3-3. Third period: Jake Walman’s blast put Edmonton ahead 4-3, but Sam Reinhart forced OT with 19.5 seconds left. Overtime: Draisaitl converted a Connor McDavid feed to silence the home crowd and square the series. Why this matters • Momentum swing: Edmonton returns home riding emotional highs, while Florida must regroup after letting a potential 3-1 stranglehold slip away. • Goaltending question: Pickard stopped 24 of 25 after entering; Knoblauch has a decision to make for Game 5. • Offensive fireworks: Each of the first four games has produced at least seven total goals, delighting neutral fans and driving record streaming numbers. What’s next Game 5 in Edmonton (Saturday, June 14) Game 6 in Sunrise (Monday, June 16, if necessary) Game 7 in Edmonton (Wednesday, June 18, if necessary) Search-friendly storylines to watch • “Oilers comeback history” — Edmonton just became the seventh team ever to erase a three-goal hole in a Cup-Final game. • “Panthers road record” — Florida went 6-3 away from home earlier in the playoffs but must steal one in Alberta to repeat. • “McDavid vs. Barkov matchup” — Expect key adjustments as Alexander Barkov’s shutdown line tries to contain McDavid after his three-assist night. • “Taylor Swift NHL game appearance” — Her presence dominated social chatter and broadened the Finals’ mainstream reach. Quick stats • Series goals: Florida 18, Edmonton 15 • Power-play conversion: Panthers 6-for-14 (42.9%); Oilers 5-for-16 (31.3%) • Leading scorers: Tkachuk 4-4-8, McDavid 3-7-10 Bottom line With the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals deadlocked, Saturday’s Game 5 looms as the swing game. If Edmonton capitalizes on home-ice advantage, the pressure shifts squarely onto Florida to defend its title bid. Buckle up—hockey’s ultimate prize is suddenly up for grabs.