The Edmonton Oilers are looking to reset and respond after suffering a heavy 6-1 defeat to the Florida Panthers on Monday night in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. With the loss putting them behind 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, the team is now focused on turning the page ahead of Game 4 on Thursday.
“What matters now is how we respond,” said star forward Leon Draisaitl. “We have a great chance in two days to show what our team is all about.”
Tuesday’s practice was unexpectedly relocated due to ice conditions at the Panthers’ training facility. Still, the Oilers hit the ice less than 24 hours after the blowout loss, signalling their urgency to regroup.
“We’ve always been a good team at coming back out with a strong effort,” Draisaitl said, underscoring the Oilers’ history of bouncing back from adversity.
That resilience has been tested before. Edmonton rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the first round against the Los Angeles Kings earlier this spring. Last year, they pushed the Panthers to a decisive Game 7 after falling behind 3-0 in the final.
Monday’s defeat, however, left lingering questions, especially around goaltending. Stuart Skinner was pulled after conceding five goals on 23 shots. Yet, head coach Kris Knoblauch defended his starter.
“Stu maybe wasn’t on his ‘A’ game, our team wasn’t on its ‘A’ game in front of him,” Knoblauch said. “I’m not holding anything against Stu on that performance.”
Skinner’s save percentage in the series (.886) trails that of Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky (.928), but Knoblauch has yet to confirm who will start in net Thursday. Calvin Pickard, who replaced Skinner late in Game 3, allowed one goal on eight shots.
As the team prepares for a crucial Game 4, Draisaitl dismissed the idea that the Oilers lost their composure.
“It’s an emotional time,” he said. “It’s two teams that want to win, two teams doing it their own way, but I don’t think anybody is going crazy here.”
Game 4 on Thursday will be a pivotal moment for Edmonton, a chance to even the series or fall deeper behind. Either way, the team knows what’s at stake.
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