With their season hanging in the balance, Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has issued a bold and defiant message ahead of tonight’s crucial Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers: his team is ready, and they’re not backing down.
Facing a 3-2 series deficit, the Oilers must win Tuesday’s elimination game at Amerant Bank Arena to force a Game 7 back in Edmonton. It’s a scenario strikingly similar to last year, when the Oilers also rallied from the brink. Down 3-0 to the very same Panthers, they battled back to even the series before falling short in a narrow 2-1 defeat in Game 7.
This time, Knoblauch is confident his group—battle-tested and hardened by postseason adversity—is ready to rewrite the ending.
“I think our guys are resilient,” Knoblauch said after practice Monday. “When their backs are against the wall, they respond. They’ve done it before—against Florida, Vancouver—countless elimination games. They don’t panic. They rise.”
The Oilers’ recent history supports his claim. In 2024, they won multiple do-or-die games, including a pivotal Game 5 on the road in Florida. Now, they aim to repeat that feat and earn the right to fight for the Cup in front of their home fans at Rogers Place on Friday.
Knoblauch’s message was clear: the Oilers thrive under pressure. And with Connor McDavid and company refusing to yield, Florida can expect a fierce response tonight.
A win would not only level the series but give Edmonton home-ice advantage for a decisive Game 7—a prospect that electrifies Oil Country and promises another unforgettable finish in a rivalry that’s quickly becoming legendary.
