'Us against world': Panthers gird for key road Game 2

EDMONTON, Alberta -- When Matthew Tkachuk looks astir Edmonton earlier a Stanley Cup Final game, helium believes the Florida Panthers aren't conscionable battling the Oilers.

"It's america against the 20-plus guys you're playing against, the 20,000 that are successful the rink, the 20,000 that are extracurricular the rink. It's conscionable america against everybody," helium said connected Thursday. "That's what makes playing connected the roadworthy truthful amusive and rewarding erstwhile you tin get a win."

Tkachuk's Panthers way the Oilers 1-0 successful their bid aft Wednesday night's 4-3 overtime nonaccomplishment successful Edmonton. It was lone their 3rd nonaccomplishment connected the roadworthy successful 11 playoff games, having started each of their erstwhile 3 playoff bid distant from South Florida.

"We've said it a bunch. It's that 'us against the world' mindset, but you particularly consciousness it being down successful a series," said Tkachuk. "Your back's not needfully against the wall, but you dainty it arsenic a big-time, indispensable triumph [game] successful a hostile environment. I consciousness similar that's erstwhile we're astatine our best. So, hopefully we tin usage that to our advantage."

This Stanley Cup Final rematch is already feeling antithetic than past season's, which saw the Panthers physique a 3-0 bid lead. While defending champion Florida believes they've improved since past season, Tkachuk noted that this was a antithetic Oilers squad than the 1 that the Panthers defeated successful 7 games.

"I deliberation everybody saw past night, including us, they are a very, very, precise bully team. They person immoderate unsafe players. Even erstwhile their apical guys are playing together, they person different lines that tin play. That hasn't ever been the lawsuit there," helium said. "They support hard, artifact shots, their goalie's playing well. They're better. We're better. I deliberation it's going to beryllium a large series."

One constituent of interest for Florida aft Game 1 was however they squandered a two-goal pb implicit the Oilers, who rallied to necktie the crippled successful the 3rd earlier Leon Draisaitl's overtime extremity ended it. The Panthers had been 31-0 nether caput manager Paul Maurice successful the playoffs erstwhile starring aft the archetypal play oregon the 2nd play successful a game.

"We went done immoderate video and saw the things we tin bash amended done the neutral zone. Maybe a small spot much violative portion time," said defenseman Seth Jones. "But they played a bully game. They were coagulated defensively. They blocked a batch of shots. We knew that coming successful that there's not a batch of abstraction retired there, not a batch of plays to beryllium made, really. So erstwhile we bash get those opportunities, we person to effort to clasp connected to the puck and capitalize."

Tkachuk said the Panthers could beryllium much accordant connected the forecheck and gain much portion clip to support the Oilers from counterattacking.

"We did immoderate truly bully things that we're going to conscionable person to bash for longer stretches of clip tomorrow," said Tkachuk. "They decidedly finished amended than we did successful the crippled and astir apt earned that win. They dictated much of the crippled than we did. It is what it is. Back to the drafting board. Just effort to play amended than them tomorrow."

Game 2 is scheduled for Friday nighttime successful Edmonton. The victor of Game 1 successful a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final has won the bid 76% of the time. The Game 1 victor has won 10 of the past 13 Stanley Cup Final series, including the past 4 straight.