Panthers hope road success continues in Game 5 of Cup Final against Oilers

EDMONTON -- If the Florida Panthers are going to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, they will have to win at least one game on the road.

Fortunately for them, that hasn't been a problem in these Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Panthers are 9-3 on the road in the postseason, including taking Game 2 of the Cup Final at Rogers Place, with Brad Marchand scoring in double overtime in the 5-4 win on June 6.

They'll try to keep that going in Game 5 on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX) with the chance to put themselves one win away from a second straight title.

"I've noticed that the style of game that we play travels," Florida defenseman Seth Jones said. "I think we don't change anything based on whether we're home or away. First change, last change, anything like that. Our game is very direct. It's simple and it's physical hockey and it's fast.

"So, changes I think on the road, we just get to that game a little quicker for some reason. Looking to do that tonight."

Part of the reason for their stellar road record is opportunity. The Panthers are the only team this season not to host a single series, with their opponent holding home-ice advantage in each, against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes and the Oilers.

Florida won three road games against Tampa Bay, two against Toronto, three against Carolina and, so far, one against Edmonton.

Part of the reason is approach. The Panthers are not a heavy line-match team, which has helped simplify their game on the road, where they are not chasing the matches that they get having last change at home.

But for whatever reason, it has worked out.

"I think we're pretty consistent with our starts," Florida coach Paul Maurice said, while indicating that he didn't exactly agree with Jones's reasoning. "Some of it's just experience. I also don't think that we're a heavy match team, that that's a critical piece that you have a huge advantage at home. … It's the consistency of the game that will drive that for you."

The Oilers, meanwhile, are 7-2 at Rogers Place in the playoffs. So, as usual in this series, there isn't exactly a big gulf between the teams.

The Panthers, though, have confidence. They believe they can do it because they have done it before, over and over again.

"We play our same game either home or on the road," defenseman Niko Mikkola said. "You don't have to play for the fans. You just play your game. It's not always pretty, but we just do our thing."

Should the Panthers win in Game 5 (or a potential Game 7, for that matter), they will match the NHL record for road wins in a single playoff year, which is held by the New Jersey Devils (1995, 2000), Calgary Flames (2004), Los Angeles Kings (2012), Washington Capitals (2018), and St. Louis Blues (2019), each of whom won 10 games away from home.

If they manage to win both, they will set a record -- and win the Cup.

Florida already has set an NHL record for most road goals by a team in a single playoff year with 56, having passed 49 scored by Los Angeles in 1993.

"We started every series on the road, so we have a lot more games, but I think it's just we like being together, being on the road, going to opposing buildings and it's a lot of fun like that," forward Carter Verhaeghe said. "The game is still hockey, it doesn't really change much. It's just, yeah, a little different."