Edmonton Oilers primed for Game 5 after big win over Panthers: ‘There’s a lot of confidence’
Global News
The Edmonton Oilers have faced tough challenges. This is simply another box to check in an adversity-filled campaign.
Kris Knoblauch stated boldly he was looking forward to the next 10 days.
The Edmonton Oilers head coach shared those feelings hours before his team faced elimination down 3-0 to the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final.
Edmonton then went out and thumped the Eastern Conference champions 8-1 to earn a stay of execution.
Knoblauch — confidently, again — is now eyeing the next eight days he expects his team to spend together.
There remains, however, zero margin for error.
The Oilers face another back-against-the-wall, no-tomorrow test Tuesday against the Panthers still trailing the best-of-seven title series 3-1.
On the heels of Edmonton’s emphatic Saturday home triumph that had fans celebrating late into the night around Rogers Place, Knoblauch’s group is firmly focused on buying yet more time and, as superstar captain Connor McDavid said after Game 4, “Drag (the Panthers) back to Alberta.”
Knoblauch’s words — he really had nothing to lose — could have served as bulletin board material for the other side.
