The Edmonton Oilers are down 0-2 to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals. Game 3 is set for Thursday as the series shifts to Canada. The Oilers have lost the first two games of the series and have scored just one goal in the process, so there are a lot of areas for concern.
Ahead of Game 3, the Oilers got some big updates on both Darnell Nurse and Corey Perry from coach Kris Knoblauch, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com.
‘Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said it’s likely that Corey Perry comes back in the lineup for Game 3. He also indicated Darnell Nurse should be good to go, saying they haven’t given much thought to him not being available. He didn’t say anything about Evander Kane.'
As far as Kane's status goes, Knoblauch stated “We haven’t decided yet.”
Nurse played just under five minutes in Game 2 due to an injury issue, but it certainly seems he will be ready for Game 3. Perry played just under nine minutes in Game 1 and was a scratch for Game 2, but it appears he will be ready to return for Game 3 as well in huge boosts to the Oilers.
A look at Game 3 of Oilers vs. Panthers
The Panthers have been the far better team through the first two games and have played suffocating defense while giving the Oilers a difficult time. On top of that, Alexsander Barkov is taking a crucial step to return for Game 3 for the Panthers.
For the Oilers, they need something to change, and the hope is Darnell Nurse and Corey Perry coming back on the ice could give them a boost, not to mention going back to Canada for the next two games.
After Game 2, Knoblauch showed that he felt they played well, so walking away with zero wins is not exactly what they anticipated (h/t AP).
“I think we feel that we came here and played well enough that we should have a split. It doesn't always happen.”
Let's not forget the Oilers were down 2-1 to the Dallas Stars before they rattled off three straight wins to head to the Stanley Cup Final. Can manufacture a comeback on the biggest stage? The Panthers appear to have all the momentum as they aim for their first-ever Stanley Cup trophy.
Game 3 is on Thursday with Game 4 scheduled for Saturday. If the series goes past that, the next one will be in Florida on Wednesday.
Follow Us
Subscribe