Stanley Cup Final: Panthers ready for ‘toughest game’ of series as they try to close out Oilers in Game 4

Here’s the mountain the Edmonton Oilers must climb before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ABC): Only four teams have come back from a 3-0 series deficit to win — and only one of those teams , the 1941-42 Toronto Maple Leafs, accomplished this during the finals.

With all of this in mind, the Florida Panthers know they will see a desperate Oilers team for whatever time they have left in this series.

The task is difficult, but losing is no longer an option for Edmonton. It’s about winning and staying for another game.

For the Panthers, it’s winning and spending the summer celebrating the franchise’s first Stanley Cup title.

Everything that helped lead the Oilers to their first Stanley Cup Final since 2006 was neutralized by the Panthers.

Edmonton’s power play, which scored 37.3% in three rounds? Zero goals in 10 opportunities.

The two-headed monster of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisatil who combined for 15 goals and 59 points in 18 games before facing the Panthers? Zero goals and three assists (all McDavid) in three games.

Depth helps you win championships, but depth cannot lead you to the title. All four of the Oilers’ goals in the series were scored by Ryan McLeod, Warren Foegele, Mattias Ekholm and Philip Broberg.

There are only so many roster changes and systemic adjustments that Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch can make to salvage the series. At some point, your best players will need to be your best players.

Although the Oilers’ strength waned, the Panthers didn’t miss a beat.

Before the World Cup final, their play as a defensive collective helped topple the opposing team’s stars.

Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point combined for three goals in five games for Tampa in the first round; Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak contributed a total of zero goals for the Bruins in the second round; and Mika Zibanejard, Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider scored two goals in six games for the Rangers in the Eastern Conference final.

Now it was McDavid and Draisaitl’s turn to be detained.

Florida did a good job of keeping shots on the perimeter, and when Edmonton is able to create high-danger scoring chances, Sergei Bobrovsky – a Conn Smythe Trophy candidate – is there to keep the puck out of his net.

Now comes, as Barkov said, the hardest game to win for the Panthers. No matter how difficult it is, the reward in the end will be worth it.