Oilers eager to get out of 'another difficult spot' in Game 6 of Stanley Cup Final

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The Edmonton Oilers are accustomed to adversity.

That's why they don't feel uncomfortable facing elimination in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, CBC).

"These are exciting. This is fun," forward Corey Perry said after practice Monday. "We said all season we don't do it the easy way. We've always taken it and made it the hard way and that's our approach."

Just like in the Cup Final a year ago, Edmonton trails Florida 3-2 in the best-of-7 series, although the manner of getting to Game 6 and the venue has changed. Last season, the Oilers lost the first three games, then won the next three to force a Game 7, a 2-1 loss in Florida.

This season, Edmonton was in position to take the lead in the series, but started slow in Game 5 on Saturday and lost 5-2.

If necessary, Game 7 would be played at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Friday.

"Our backs are against the wall, and after a disappointing game all around you have to bounce back," Perry said. "It's the playoffs -- if you don't, everything is done. It's over and we're going home for the summer.

"You have to be able to flush it and move on and be ready for the next one. We know what's at stake, we know where we are and we want to make sure that (being eliminated) doesn't happen."

Adversity has provided motivation for Edmonton throughout the playoffs the past two seasons. The Oilers won five games facing elimination last year before eventually losing to the Panthers.

This season, Edmonton fell behind 2-0 in the Western Conference First Round against the Los Angeles Kings and had to mount third-period comebacks in Games 3 and 4 to get back in the series, which it won in six games.

The Oilers also had to overcome a tough loss in the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights, when Leon Draisaitl deflected the puck into his own net with 0.4 seconds left in the third period of Game 3, and another in Game 1 of the conference final against the Dallas Stars, when they blew a two-goal lead in the third.

"I think our guys are resilient; that's been a term that's been used to describe these guys for a long period of time -- last year, this year -- with how many elimination games we've had," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. "For some reason, when their backs are up against the wall and they've hit rock bottom or they're facing elimination, and that goes back to pretty much my first day with the organization.

"They were near the bottom of the standings. Things couldn't get much worse and it didn't look like they were going to make the playoffs. Then, of course they respond and play extremely well and win a ton of games."

Knoblauch has opted to start Stuart Skinner in goal after Calvin Pickard started Game 5, allowing four goals on 18 shots in his first start of the series. Skinner started the first four but was pulled here in Games 3 and 4.

"It's some consideration, but I think also how he's responded and how he's played in difficult situations, especially in the later half of the season," Knoblauch said. "Maybe he got pulled, but I don't put any of the blame on him.

"I think Stu is like our team -- very resilient. They play their best when their backs are against the wall, and we need great performances from them."

The Oilers battled back in the Final last season with a win at home and another in Florida to force Game 6, which they won 5-1 in Edmonton. This season, they will need to win Game 6 on the road for an opportunity to host Game 7.

"I'm excited. I'm excited about the opportunity," Oilers captain Connor McDavid said. "We've bounced back, a lot has been made about that. We talk about that all the time.

"For whatever reason, our group doesn't like to make it easy on ourselves, and we've put ourselves in another difficult spot. It's our job to work our way out of it, and I would expect that tomorrow."