Panthers keeping it loose heading into Game 4 of Stanley Cup Final

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The Edmonton Oilers are contemplating a goalie change and will try to restore discipline in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday (8 p.m. ET: MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, CBC), all with hopes of finding a way to even the best-of-7 series.

That’s a lot to chew on, to fret about.

The Panthers, on the other hand, aren’t doing any of those things. They’re too busy joking and laughing on and off the ice.

It is indeed a tale of two teams heading into Game 4.

Edmonton is seeking solutions to get back on track at this stage, the Stanley Cup still within reach.

Meanwhile, Florida is sporting an air of reassurance that it has the answers to help repeat as Stanley Cup champions.

It showed during the teams’ respective media availabilities Wednesday.

During a morning video conference, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said no decision had yet been made on who their starting goalie would be for Game 4, either incumbent Stuart Skinner or backup Calvin Pickard.

About an hour later, Panthers forward Brad Marchand was asked for his take on how the Edmonton goalie situation would affect his team. His answer spoke volumes on the mindset inside Florida’s dressing room.

“I didn’t hear that. I have no idea what they’re doing, and I don’t care about that either,” he replied.

Well then …

“None of that stuff means anything in this room,” he continued. “I mean, there’s a lot of talk about what they’re doing. It doesn’t matter for us. We’re focused on our team, our structure, our details.

“What they do is their choice. That’s what’s going on in their room. We’re going to worry about what’s in our room.”

Judging by their optional light-hearted practice Wednesday, the Panthers aren’t worried about much.

Marchand was the ringleader of the hijinks, bumping teammates, giving them playful hacks and whacks, all the while sporting his trademark smile.

Pressure? What pressure?

Instead, there is a quiet confidence among the Panthers that they are getting under the collective skins of the Oilers, who racked up 85 penalty minutes and repeatedly lost their cool in a 6-1 defeat in Game 3 here on Monday.

To that end, Edmonton subsequently referenced missed penalty calls and how Florida was using goading tactics after whistles.

When informed about those comments, Marchand again broke into that mischievous smile Panthers fans have learned to embrace and love.

“I just think the group plays hard, all the way through the season,” he said. “Just kind of in-your-face, a physical game.

“Sometimes we get away with things; you can’t call everything all the time. But again, that’s up to the refs to make those decisions. Things happen fast out there, and they’re doing their best.”

Brad Marchand complimenting the officials?

That’s how loose this Panthers team is right now.

They have reason to be.

Dating back to their 2-1 victory against the Oilers in last year’s winner-take-all Game 7, Florida has defeated Edmonton in three of the past four Cup Final games. The only loss was a 4-3 overtime defeat in Game 1 on June 4, a game that could have easily gone the other way.

Now, after having rebounded from that setback with two straight wins, the Panthers have the chance to put a 3-1 stranglehold on this series with a win in Game 4. But they understand how quickly the talented Oilers can go on a winning streak, pointing to the Final a year ago when Edmonton came back from a 3-0 series deficit to force Game 7.

“Usually you get a team’s best after (a loss like) that,” Marchand said. “I think, especially with the players they have in that room and how competitive they are, they’re going to bounce back.”

Starting with Oilers star forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

“When you have that type of leadership with those top two guys, that’s a dangerous combination,” Marchand said. “So, we have to bring our best tomorrow.”

It’s a situation the upbeat Panthers are embracing, especially after reaching the Final for a third consecutive year.

“You learn a lot just from experience,” Florida center Sam Bennett said. “Just from us being here the last couple years, we know what it takes. Sometimes you've got to take a punch, and that's just part of the game.

“We have a really focused group this year that our eyes are on one thing and one thing only, and guys are going to stick up for each other. Guys are going to stand up for each other. But we have one goal in mind; all the other stuff is just distracting and is just to try to get you off your game. We have one goal in mind, and that's all that we're really worried about.”

Part of the Panthers’ key to success, Bennett said, is how they have evolved and kept practices light and fun, as was the case Wednesday.

“If you believe that you’ve worked as hard as you can, then there’s nothing left to do,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “Why would you be in a bad mood than over a great mood if you’ve done your work?”

Why indeed.