The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs have already showcased incredible individual efforts, and Tuesday night was no exception. Jaccob Slavin played a key role in the Carolina Hurricanes` Game 1 victory over the Washington Capitals, while the Edmonton Oilers` potent duo provided the spark for another successful comeback bid in Las Vegas.
The evening commenced with a tight-checking game in Washington D.C., where the Hurricanes and Capitals were knotted at one goal apiece after regulation. Slavin was a central figure in the defensive battle throughout the game and emerged as the hero in overtime.
Meanwhile, in Vegas, the Golden Knights jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period. However, the Oilers significantly elevated their play in the second period. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were the primary catalysts for this shift, delivering another display of brilliance by combining for four points. When these two are performing at their peak, even one of the league`s top defensive teams finds it challenging to keep up.
Following another night of intense playoff hockey, let`s highlight the most outstanding individual performances with our selection for the 3 Stars of the Night.
3. Leon Draisaitl | C | Edmonton Oilers
It was another comeback triumph for the Oilers on Tuesday, and Draisaitl once again scored a crucial goal. Early in the third period, with his team trailing 2-1, Draisaitl demonstrated exceptional hand-eye coordination and hockey sense.
After an Evan Bouchard shot was deflected off Adin Hill`s glove and looped into the air, Draisaitl reacted instantly, swatting the puck with his backhand as soon as it landed on the ice. The Oilers` skilled forward deliberately directed it off Hill`s pad and into the net to level the score. Beyond this highlight-reel tally, Draisaitl also registered an assist on Edmonton`s opening goal with a perfectly placed cross-ice pass to Connor McDavid during a textbook zone entry.
2. Connor McDavid | C | Edmonton Oilers
While McDavid didn`t score himself in the Oilers` Game 1 win against the Golden Knights, he was the main driving force behind their comeback effort. As seen frequently in the first round, McDavid elevated his game when his team was behind, fundamentally altering the game`s dynamics with a couple of remarkable plays.
The Oilers captain assisted on both of his team`s first two goals, making brilliant plays on each sequence. On the first goal, McDavid delivered a perfect pass around Brayden McNabb to find Corey Perry wide open in front of Adin Hill. On the second, McDavid showcased his incredible speed with a rush from end to end that led to Draisaitl batting in the rebound off the aforementioned Bouchard shot.
1. Jaccob Slavin | D | Carolina Hurricanes
Jaccob Slavin`s performance in Game 1 versus the Capitals was nearly flawless. He delivered elite shutdown defense and scored the game-winning goal in overtime. During his 18 minutes played at five-on-five, the Hurricanes enjoyed significant advantages in shot attempts (plus-23), scoring chances (plus-12), and high-danger scoring chances (plus-5), according to Natural Stat Trick. Considering Washington ranked second in the regular season with 286 goals, this represents an outstanding defensive effort from Slavin.
On the offensive side, Slavin led the Hurricanes with five shots on goal. His fifth shot proved decisive, sliding underneath the pad of Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson just 3:06 into the overtime period. Few players on the ice had a greater impact at both ends of the rink than Slavin did on this night.
