Panthers turn page to Game 5 after tough loss in Cup Final

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The Florida Panthers pretty much had their day planned out on Friday, one day after their 5-4 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Panthers headed to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport ready for the 5 1/2 hour flight to Edmonton.

They had hoped to be taking a commanding series lead with them to Alberta, but the best-of-7 series is tied with Game 5 at Rogers Place on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX).

There are three games left in what has been a tight series, and the first team to win twice gets the Stanley Cup.

"I think our mindset is always playing for that Game 7 even though it might not always be seven games," Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling said. "That's our mindset, so, we're calm and confident. If we play our game, we know we're going to win most games. We are a very confident group, and I am sure we will watch video on what we can do better and execute on. The good thing is, we have a game tomorrow. So we're ready to bounce right back. We're very excited to get back."

Panthers coach Paul Maurice said the team will not be making any lineup changes for Game 5.

With a travel day sandwiched in between game days, there is not a whole lot of time to reflect on a loss in which the Panthers took a 3-0 lead into the second period.

Maurice said Friday that he would use his time on the long flight to go over the Game 4 loss with a fine-tooth comb.

Edmonton stormed back with three goals in the second period, then took a 4-3 lead with 6:24 remaining in the third period.

With Sergei Bobrovsky pulled for an extra skater, the Panthers forced overtime when Sam Reinhart scored with 20 seconds remaining. However, Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl ended the game at 11:18 of overtime.

"Of course it's tough to jump on the plane the next day," Florida captain Aleksander Barkov said. "It feels like we just finished. But you just take care of yourself as good as possible. You take care of your team and yourself. That's the biggest thing."

Of the four games in this series, three have gone to overtime; two were tied with 20 seconds remaining in regulation, the first time that has ever happened in Stanley Cup Final history.

Reinhart's goal was the second-latest game-tying goal in a Cup Final game. Corey Perry of the Oilers holds the week-old record after he scored with 18 seconds remaining to force overtime in Game 2. Florida won that game 4-3 in double overtime on a goal from Brad Marchand.

This is also the first Stanley Cup Final to have at least three overtime games since 2014 when the Los Angeles Kings defeated the New York Rangers in five games.

"You're as wired as probably every fan is, right?" Maurice said of handling the situation. "I think it's actually easier for the players. They get to go out and burn it off on the ice, and then, maybe [it is] a little bit easier for the coaches and the managers, and as it spreads out to people who watch it in front of their TV.

"I mean, you're wired. That's why these days are so important, that you can come down from them, kind of rest, relax, and then wind back up tomorrow."