The Edmonton Oilers may not be on home ice when they try to clinch the Stanley Cup against the Florida Panthers on Monday night, but screams of support will resound across Canada from rinkside watch parties, bars, seniors homes and ordinary living rooms.

鈥淲e cheer them on every single game of the season,鈥� said Derrick DeMone, an Oilers fan in Sydney, N.S., who will be watching at home with his sons, aged 24, 14 and 12.

鈥淚 haven鈥檛 felt like this since I was a young boy, I鈥檒l tell you that.鈥�

DeMone鈥檚 home is something of a shrine to his favourite team, with Oilers jerseys, blankets and pillows decorating the inside and several Oilers flags flying outside.

In a city where he鈥檚 usually outnumbered by Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins fans, DeMone said locals have come to associate him with the team he backs.

鈥淚f I鈥檓 not wearing an article of Oilers, whether it鈥檚 a hat or a hoodie, then I鈥檓 not out in the public,鈥� he said with a laugh.

In Edmonton, thousands of fans have been packing Rogers Place for both home and away games during the playoffs, while thousands more watch giant screens outside the arena.

One of those outdoor parties is where Mama Stanley, whose real name is Mary Loewen, will be dressed as the Stanley Cup, cheering on the team while also posing for photos with fellow fans.

鈥淧eople are saying, 鈥楲et鈥檚 fly to Florida.鈥� No. I want to be with the people in my kingdom,鈥� Loewen said Saturday when speaking about her plans for the final game.

Just northwest of Edmonton where residents of a seniors home have been posting Oilers fan videos to TikTok, another release is planned for Monday afternoon.

Some of the videos, which feature residents of Everitt Gardens in St. Albert dancing and wearing jerseys and face paint, have garnered tens of thousands of views.

鈥淥ur residents love the Oilers, they鈥檙e all in the spirit. They like to get dressed up. Some watch it in their suites, some watch it together on their screen,鈥� said Lori Kary, the home鈥檚 recreation therapist.

鈥淥ne of our residents like to watch it in his suite 鈥� but whenever the games end and the Oilers do win, he actually opens his door and yells, 鈥榃oot! Woot!鈥� down the hall.鈥�

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch鈥檚 hometown of Imperial, Sask., will be hosting a watch party at the local rink on Monday night with a special treat 鈥� leftover brisket from Rockin鈥� The Rink, a party held on Saturday night to celebrate the anniversary of the facility getting a new concrete floor.

The town鈥檚 chief administrator Joslin Freeman, who is Knoblauch鈥檚 cousin, said they鈥檙e expecting a good crowd in the town of 372 for the deciding game of the series.

鈥淚 texted Kris the other night,鈥� she said Sunday. 鈥淚 said, 鈥業鈥檓 glad you couldn鈥檛 be here for Rockin鈥� The Rink, but I鈥檒l throw you one hell of a party when you bring the Stanley Cup home.鈥欌��

The Stanley Cup final has been a nerve-wracking affair for both sides, with the Oilers losing the first three games of the best-of-seven series before rebounding with three wins of their own. The turnarround began when they trounced the Panthers 8-1 in Game 4. Another win on Monday would make the Oilers just the fifth team in NHL history to win a best-of-seven playoff series after trailing 3-0.

If they win the Cup on Monday night, Demone said he鈥檚 already told his sons he鈥檚 planning a victory drive around Sydney after the game.

鈥淚鈥檒l maybe message some of my friends that like the Oilers and see if we can get a little mini-parade on the go,鈥� he said.

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