Connor McDavid with blunt message to the haters ahead of Game 3

The Edmonton Oilers are trailing the Florida Panthers 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Final, but captain Connor McDavid immediately sent a message to all the doubters and haters out there.

“I’m looking forward to people doubting us again,” McDavid said after his Oilers’ 4-1 loss in Game 2 in Miami. “We’re good with our backs against the wall.”

McDavid is speaking from experience in a sense as Edmonton has fallen behind more than once this postseason. The Oilers were behind 3-2 in the second round against the Vancouver Canucks, and were also down 2-1 to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final, but came out on top both times.

“It’s another opportunity for our group to come together and dig our way out,” McDavid said. “It’s supposed to be hard, it’s supposed to be difficult. I’m excited to see what our group is made of.”

I’m not sure how difficult McDavid thinks this is going to be against the Panthers at this stage in the playoffs. Historically, teams that start the Stanley Cup Final down 2-0 have only marched back to win five times in 54 attempts.

Teammate Leon Draisaitl did not call out the haters like his captain. Instead he took some of the blame for Edmonton’s lack of offense that has been limited to just one goal in the series courtesy of Mattias Ekholm’s opening strike the second contest.

“We can certainly be better,” Draisaitl said on Monday night. “It starts with me.”

He added: “I certainly have a lot more to give. Not my best tonight.”

Game 3 takes place on Thursday night in Edmonton. Let’s see if McDavid was right and if the Oilers can rebound.