Will Edmonton Oilers make a historical comeback or fail miserably?

 

For the Edmonton Oilers, it's a "do or die" game on Saturday with the Stanley Cup at stake.

With four straightforward words for the Oilers captain, nine-year-old Edmontonian Brett Hayes, who was wearing a No. 97 Connor McDavid jersey, hours before the puck dropped in Game 4 against the Florida Panthers.

"Be the greatest player."

The Oilers, trailing 3-0 in the best-of-seven series, will get a rematch with the Stanley Cup final on home ice. The game airs on CBC and kicks off at 6 p.m. MT.

For at least one more game, a victory in Game 4 would prevent the Panthers from winning their first-ever Stanley Cup.

It would also mark the beginning of something that has only been accomplished by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942: lifting Lord Stanley's mug following a three-game loss in the championship series.

"We've got to get ready for a game, get ready for Game 4 and get a win — that's all we can do," said McDavid on Thursday after Game 3.

On Saturday, veteran Corey Perry reiterated that the team can't look beyond what's in front of them.

"If you start looking too far ahead, it's a daunting task," said Perry, one of only five Oilers players with previous Stanley Cup final experience. He won the trophy in 2007 and has since appeared in multiple finals.

"[Florida is] a great team. We know that. But you start with one period, one game — and you work your way from one."

When the Oilers last played in the Stanley Cup final, thousands of supporters erupted into Whyte Avenue following a game victory. In the end, the Oilers fell short against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7.

In an unrelated media event on Thursday, Edmonton police Chief Dale McFee stated that there will be a significant police presence to manage the Stanley Cup crowds.