Edmonton Oilers say they aren't afraid of any ghosts in Florida

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2 days ago

You don't need a degree in sports psychology to know that the best way to recover from a crushing, double-overtime defeat isn't taking a five-hour flight to the place where you suffered the most heartbreaking night of your career.
But that's where the Edmonton Oilers will be forced to shake off Friday's gutting Game 2 loss, as well as the lingering PTSD (Post Traumatic Stanley Cup Defeat) from last season, and fire back at the Florida Panthers.
'No matter how much time passes it will always be on your mind, to be that close,' Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said of last year's loss in Game 7 of the final. 'But I think everyone's focus is on this season. We're in a new stage of our path and we're just focused on what we need to do right now.'
In a series too close to call, with games too intense to watch, the stakes get even higher as the Stanley Cup Final moves into enemy territory for Game 3.
For the Oilers, who are looking to take back home ice advantage after losing it on Brad Marchand's winner 88 minutes into Game 2, this is about flushing away painful memories, both recent and enduring and being ready for what figures to be the hardest game of the series so far.
'Right after the game there is frustration and the what ifs start going through your head a little bit,' said Leon Draisaitl. 'But the next day you move on. You have to. You have no choice. We have to get ready for Monday. We're looking to play our best game. We're comfortable playing our best on the road.'
They'll have to. The Panthers are giving them all that they can handle, and then some, having dominated the second periods and taken a lead into the third periods in both games at Rogers Place. If it stands to reason that things will only get tougher now that the Panthers are at home, with last change and backed by a rabid, rat-infested crowd, it will be on Edmonton to find yet another level.
Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard, for one, doesn't think it will be difficult at all to shake off the Game 2 loss and raise their game. In fact, returning to the scene of last year's final might actually help in that respect.
'Having the experience from last year when were down 3-0, we didn't let it get to us,' said Bouchard. 'We stayed even keel and fought our way back.
'We know what their building is like, we know how they like to play in their building. They have the last line change so it's less thinking for us, just go out there and play, let them do all the line matching. It's going to be important for us to play the way we want to play.'
Being back in Florida, adds Connor Brown, is more a source of motivation than haunting memories. He actually finds comfort in Amerant Bank Arena.
'Absolutely there is comfort level in that, there's a benefit in that,' said the Oilers forward. 'You know what to expect, you've been here and you learn from experience. We had to earn that experience last year and I think we'll benefit from it this year.'
On the strategy front, Edmonton is rearranging its defensive pairings in order to counteract Florida's relentless, punishing forecheck, which is starting to give the Oilers problems. Darnell Nurse practised with Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm was with John Klingberg and Brett Kulak lined up with Jake Walman.
The longer Florida can apply its patented pressure, the more it will wear on Edmonton's defence as the series goes on. Fixing this is imperative before the physical toll makes things even worse.
'They do have a great forecheck, no doubt about it,' said Connor McDavid. 'But we have good D men who can break the puck out, we have a good system. It's not just the D men, it's forwards helping out on hold-ups and everybody coming back and working out together. That's how you combat that.'
The front of Edmonton's net, where Sam Bennett has been raising havoc all series, is another area of concern. He's been in on a couple of goals where there's been contact with Stuart Skinner and he rolled into Skinner's leg on another occasion, resulting in an injury scare. If you're the Oilers, you can't allow this to go on unchecked.
'It's nothing we haven't seen before,' said McDavid. 'He's playing really well, scoring goals. He's a good player and we have to figure him out. He's not going anywhere and we're not going anywhere.'
The latest news on the health front isn't great for an Oilers team that is already missing Zach Hyman. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins didn't practice with the team Sunday and is being listed as a game-time decision. Losing another member of the top six, a player with 18 points in 18 playoff games, would sting.
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