NHL News: Kris Knoblauch shares confident message on how Oilers will respond after Game 5 loss

Kris Knoblauch and the Edmonton Oilers suffered another rough defeat at home in the Stanley Cup Final—this one more painful than the last. The Oilers were outscored 5-2 by the Florida Panthers in a game that was expected to favor the home team, but Edmonton failed to capitalize.

Despite the blowout loss and now trailing 3-2 in the series, Knoblauch made it clear he doesn’t see his team as beaten. Instead, the Oilers head coach expressed full confidence that they can still turn things around and win the next two games.

“We’ve been through difficult situations before, and it’s just another one we’ll overcome,” Knoblauch said. His comments came alongside a blunt assessment from veteran defenseman Mattias Ekholm, who pointed out key areas the team must improve before Game 6.

Knoblauch still believes in Edmonton

Knoblauch remains confident the Oilers have what it takes to win both Game 6 and a potential Game 7 to secure the Stanley Cup. He addressed the media after the loss, staying firm in his belief that Edmonton can pull off back-to-back wins—starting on the road in Florida.

“Winning our last two games is something that we’re confident we can do,” Knoblauch said, knowing the Oilers must first survive Game 6 on the road in order to bring the series back home for a deciding Game 7 on June 20.

Oilers players stay realistic

While Knoblauch continues to back his team publicly, some Oilers players offered more critical takes. Ekholm pointed to areas of concern, and forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins admitted the team missed key chances.

“Chasing a game over and over against a team like this, it’s very difficult,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “It was a tight-checking game all the way through. They took advantage of some opportunities and we didn’t.”