Corey Perry spoke to the media yesterday ahead of tonight's Game 7 against the Florida Panthers.
Corey Perry spoke to the media yesterday ahead of tonight's Game 7 against the Florida Panthers.
EDMONTON -- This is what they dream of.
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The Edmonton Oilers walk into tonight's final game against the Florida Panthers like any other game. Tonight's contest is Game seven of the Stanley Cup Final and only one team can go home with the trophy.
For Corey Perry, he's been in this position before. Not only has a won a Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks, but he got to the final round with the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
He's the first player in NHL history to reach the final round of the playoffs with five different teams. He has also scored a goal for each of those teams while playing in the final round.
The veteran forward is used to the pressure and knows how to approach it. Perry said to the media present in Florida, "I don't think our mindset changes. It can't, because we've done some good things but nothing great yet."
Coming back from a 3-0 deficit is certainly a good thing. But winning a Stanley Cup would be great, and that is the goal and the mindset.
It's not lost on Perry how the moment he finds in is what most players dream of from childhood, "you grow up as a kid playing on the street, Stanley Cup final Game seven - now it's reality."
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One question that Perry was asked when the cameras weren't rolling, was if tonight was going to be his last game. Mark Spector reported Perry's response, "I've got more in me. I've got lots more in me, five more years."
Everyone in the media scrum laughs. Perry responds, "What's so funny? I feel like I'm 25."
Many people talk about the impact that Kris Knoblauch has had on the team. Perry has been very impactful as well, in a much different way. He's always around the team, even when the coaches aren't. His mentality and work ethic has been a working example for the rest of the team to build off of.
While Perry may or may not play five more years, but the fact that he feels young again is a testament to the excitement in the room among the players.
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