The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs are already delivering outstanding individual performances, and Tuesday was a prime example. Jaccob Slavin was instrumental in the Carolina Hurricanes` Game 1 victory against the Washington Capitals, while the Edmonton Oilers` powerful duo fueled another comeback win in Las Vegas.
The evening`s action kicked off with a tight, defensive battle in Washington, D.C., where the Hurricanes and Capitals were tied 1-1 after regulation. Slavin was a key part of this defensive effort and stepped up as the hero in overtime.
In Vegas, the Golden Knights quickly took a 2-0 lead in the first period. However, the Oilers shifted gears in the second, primarily thanks to the brilliance of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who combined for four points. When these two are clicking, few teams, even strong defensive ones, can contain them.
Following another night of exciting playoff hockey, let`s highlight the standout individual performances with our Three Stars.
3. Leon Draisaitl | C | Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers secured another comeback victory on Tuesday, with Draisaitl netting a crucial goal. Trailing 2-1 early in the third period, Draisaitl demonstrated impressive hand-eye coordination and hockey sense.
After Evan Bouchard`s deflected shot bounced off Adin Hill`s glove and went airborne, Draisaitl smartly swatted it with his backhand as it landed. The Oilers forward deliberately directed the puck off Hill`s pad and into the net to equalize. Besides this standout goal, Draisaitl also assisted Edmonton`s first goal, delivering a precise cross-ice pass to Connor McDavid during a perfect zone entry.
2. Connor McDavid | C | Edmonton Oilers
While McDavid didn`t score in the Oilers` Game 1 win against the Golden Knights, he was the primary catalyst for their rally. As he`s shown previously in the playoffs, McDavid elevates his game when his team is trailing, altering the game`s momentum with several remarkable plays.
The Oilers` captain registered assists on his team`s initial two goals, showcasing brilliant execution on both. For the first goal, McDavid delivered a pinpoint pass around Brayden McNabb to find Corey Perry wide open in front of Adin Hill. On the second goal, McDavid displayed his incredible speed with a rush from end to end, which led to Draisaitl scoring off the rebound from Bouchard`s shot mentioned earlier.
1. Jaccob Slavin | D | Carolina Hurricanes
Jaccob Slavin`s performance in Game 1 versus the Capitals was exceptional, featuring nearly flawless shutdown defense and the overtime game-winner. During his 18 minutes of five-on-five play, the Hurricanes dominated in shot attempts (+23), scoring chances (+12), and high-danger chances (+5), according to Natural Stat Trick. Given that Washington was the league`s second-highest scoring team (286 goals) in the regular season, this was a remarkable defensive showing from Slavin.
Offensively, Slavin led the Hurricanes with five shots. His fifth shot proved to be the decisive one, finding its way past Capitals goalie Logan Thompson`s pad just 3:06 into overtime. Slavin undoubtedly had the most significant impact across both offensive and defensive aspects of the game on this night.
