FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Florida Panthers took a day off the ice Wednesday following a tough 5-3 loss in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Florida will now fly back to Edmonton on Thursday, with another chance to claim the team’s first Stanley Cup championship on Friday night.
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Since going up 3-0 in the best-of-7 series, the Panthers have lost back-to-back games to the Edmonton Oilers by a combined score of 13-4.
On Tuesday night, playing on home ice at Amerant Bank Arena, Florida gave up the game’s first three goals before attempting to mount a furious comeback.
Ultimately the Cats came up short, but the strong finish to Game 5 gave the team something positive to build on as they prepare to face a hostile Rogers Place environment.
“I think when we play the way that we’re supposed to, I think we’re creating a lot of chances,” said Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Florida has already shown they can win in Edmonton, taking Game 3 from the Oilers last Thursday. The Panthers were also one of NHL’s best road teams this season, tying for most wins away from home during both the regular season and the playoffs.
Of course, the team they’re tied with during the postseason is Edmonton.
“They’re a good team too, they have a lot of good players on that team and they’re trying to win too,” said Ekman-Larsson. “It’s tough out there, and it’s supposed to be tough. It’s fun.”
Game 6 between the Panthers and Oilers is set for Friday night from Edmonton.
The puck drops at 8 p.m. and the game will air live on Local 10.