The Florida Panthers are in a real series now with the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final, losing two straight after going up 3-0 in the series with Game 6 taking place on Friday in Edmonton, but Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said nothing has changed with the approach heading into the next game.

“Absolutely nothing has changed in our situation over the last two games,” Paul Maurice said, via Greg Wyshynski of ESPN. “I'm not pumping tires. I'm not rubbing backs. I don't think we need that at all. Everybody feels probably exactly the way I do right now. I'm not feeling deflated, neither is the hockey team. They're not feeling deflated. A little grumpy.”

After going up 3-0 in the series, the Panthers lost Game 4 on the road in Edmonton by the score of 8-1. That game was not very competitive from the start. There was not much panic, as the Panthers had a chance to clinch the Stanley Cup on home ice with a win in Game 5. That did not happen, as Florida's comeback attempt in Game 5 fell short and the Oilers came away with a 5-3 win to force Game 6.

The Panthers as a team do not seem worried about losing two straight, but confidence is building with the Oilers, and there is some nervousness beginning to rise for Florida's fans. After the Oilers scored an empty net goal to seal Game 5, frustration boiled over for Panthers general manager Bill Zito, as he threw a water bottle when the puck went into the net. His team hopes to stop those frustrations in Game 6 with a win that clinches the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Panthers going in with same mindset as before

Although the Oilers have closed the gap in the series to 3-2, the Panthers are still going into Game 6 with the same mindset that they did going into Game 3. Matthew Tkachuk admitted that the comeback falling short in Game 5 was frustrating, but confirmed that the mindset does not change for his team.

“We've got another crack at it on Friday,” Matthew Tkachuk said, via Wyshynski. “We did a really good job at the beginning of the series of building that lead, so really nothing changes from tonight's mindset. We're up 3-2 going back to Edmonton. Couple days to get ready to go for that and get back healthy and rested and ready to go.”

The Panthers identified that they have to be better when it comes to the power play and not allowing short-handed goals. The Oilers got on the board with short-handed goals in Games 4 and 5. It was a tone setter in both games.

Starting off better in Game 6 will be key. Another bad start from the Panthers would have the Oilers fans fired up, and pressure would mount even more as the team tries to avoid blowing a 3-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final.