Oilers Coach Says His Team Has Shown It Can Beat Panthers Despite Being 0-5 Against Them This Season
The Edmonton Oilers are on the proverbial ropes, but head coach Kris Knoblauch likes some of what he has seen from his team and told the press after their 4-3 home loss in Game 3 that they've shown that they can beat the Florida Panthers.
I get the sentiment, but the Oilers are 0-5 this season against the Panthers.
Soooooo… there's that…
Knoblauch was asked after the game if he'll be more "psychologist than coach over the next 48 hours" as the Oilers fight to extend the series Saturday night in Edmonton.
"I don't think there's much to be said," he began. "I think there's a lot of belief. You look at our season this year and we've got two 8-game win streaks, we've had a 16-game winning streak. When things go well, we can really turn up, and I think that we've shown that we can beat this team. I think there's a lot of belief in that."
Knoblauch went on to say that it's not like they're getting outplayed in this series, and aside from like six minutes in Game 3, that's true. There really isn't a reason to have any doubt. Edmonton has shown a few times that it can string more than three wins together… just not under the pressure of having the Stanley Cup on the line.
Edmonton is not a team that will roll over and die in this situation. Remember, it got off to a horrendous start this season, and have had to stave off elimination before this postseason.
Kris Knoblauch's Edmonton Oilers have shown that they're not quitters, but they have yet to figure out the Florida Panthers. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Kris Knoblauch Joins Rod Brind'Amour On The List Of Best Examples Of NHL Coach Spin
Still, saying you've shown you can beat a team when you haven't beaten them in five attempts this season is so funny, even though we know where he's coming from.
I'd go so far as to say that this is my favorite "That's objectively wrong, but I know what you mean" take since Rod Brind'Amour tried to argue that his Carolina Hurricanes didn't get swept in last year's Eastern Conference Final (against the Panthers, ironically), because they didn't lose four games, they just "got beat."
I still think of this take from time to time and it makes me chuckle. Then my girlfriend is like, "Are you laughing about Rob Brind'Amour saying they didn't lose four games they just got beat?" and I say that I'm not, but that's a lie because, of course, I am.
Knoblauch may have joined Brind'Amour on my short list of these moments of coach spin, but who knows, maybe he'll prove to be right and the Oilers can mount a comeback.