SUNRISE | The Oilers may have defeated the Panthers 8-1 on Saturday, but they remain down-to-earth about their situation.
• Read also: Bobrovsky applauded by his teammates
• Read also: “We have to learn from this game”: the Panthers return to base after Saturday’s thaw
After all, they’re still down 3-1 in this Stanley Cup Final. It doesn’t take much study in mathematics to know that the statistics are not in their favor.
This is why we were treated to all the clichés from the world of sport after the morning training. Leon Draisaitl may have grown up in Cologne, far from the Alps, but he nevertheless chose to make a mountain allegory.
“We take things one day and one game at a time, that’s all we can do. If you look at the top of the mountain, the hill looks very steep, but taking it one day at a time, it doesn’t seem that bad.”
Leon Draisaitl is not satisfied with his performance in the final and knows he needs to do more.
Photo GETTY IMAGES / AFP
Neglected
The Oilers played the underdog card to the fullest on Monday by reminding us that no one believed in them after a catastrophic start to the season which cost head coach Jay Woodcroft the job.
“I have very little work to do to keep the confidence level high. They have often been considered beaten and they got back up, they continue to play even if it is said of them that they are not that good. They persevere and they continue to have fun,” said Kris Knoblauch, who replaced him.
Draisaitl maintained that the team has always responded well to adversity.
“We have a group that is very resilient. Obviously, we don’t want to find ourselves in this position very often, but when it happened last year, we were always good at working collectively to get through it.
Do more
Speaking of Draisaitl, he got two assists on Saturday after being shut out in the first three games of the series, which is atypical in his case.
“I haven’t been at my best in this series, I’m trying to get my momentum back and tomorrow I’ll have a great opportunity to stand up and be good.”
Draisaitl appears to be tired and a bit low on gas. The fifth part is likely to be very revealing of his state of physical health.
