SUNRISE, Fla. — Jack Eichel set the tone in the visiting locker room at FLA Live Arena on Thursday night.

“(The next game is) less than 48 hours away, so we just have to prepare for that one,” Eichel said after the Golden Knights’ 3-2 overtime loss in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. “That’s got to be our most important game of the season.”

The Knights, who arrived in Florida with a 2-0 series lead, don’t want to return home tied. They were less than three minutes away from grabbing a 3-0 lead Thursday before right wing Matthew Tkachuk scored a late 6-on-5 goal to extend the action. The Knights need to wipe that away, and reset before the puck drops for Game 4 at 5 p.m. Saturday.

History says the outcome should be significant. Teams with a 3-1 lead in the final have an overall record of 36-1.

“Go win Game 4, it’s 3-1,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “That’s a pretty big lead. They got a little momentum off winning last game. It ends after the game. Both teams have a chance to regroup. We know what’s at stake for Game 4 and it’s a big game for us.”

The Knights still feel they’re in a good spot.

They’ve outscored the Panthers 14-7 in the series. Both of their wins have been dominant. Their one loss required a late Florida comeback.

There are also not many areas the Knights can find fault in their game. They didn’t get a five-on-five goal Thursday for the first time in the playoffs, but they’ve been the best even-strength team in the NHL this postseason. Both of their special-teams units are clicking. Their defense in front of goaltender Adin Hill was strong.

The Knights know there’s a formula in there they’re capable of repeating. They just have to close off games when they have the chance, and convert on more of their opportunities. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky surged back to life in Game 3 to make 25 saves in the win.

“You’re playing against a very good goaltender and a good hockey team,” coach Bruce Cassidy said Friday. “That’s a little bit of how it goes. We’re not going to beat ourselves up over yesterday’s game. We’re going to do what we’ve always done. We’re going to work to get better and keep growing our game and hopefully be better in Game 4.”

For Florida, it’s hoping the franchise’s first-ever final win is a springboard back into the series.

The Panthers became the 26th team in NHL history to win Game 3 after falling behind 0-2. Thirteen of the previous 25 clubs to do so went on to win Game 4 as well. All Florida has to join that group is keep holding serve at home, where it is 5-3 during the playoffs.

“We gave ourselves a chance,” coach Paul Maurice said. “It’s like the picture that just came into my head of a frog reaching up and choking an alligator (saying) ‘Got ‘em right where we want ‘em.’ No, we’re scratching and clawing shift by shift. We’re not looking for control.”

The Knights want to slow the Panthers’ roll and become the first road team to win a game this series.

They feel they weren’t far off Thursday. A few better bounces, a couple converted chances and they could’ve put Florida on the brink of elimination. Instead, the Panthers have life. The Knights don’t want to give them any more. It’s something they’ve been successful at this run, given they’re 4-1 after a loss in the playoffs.

“Can’t change a ton, right?” captain Mark Stone said. “Liked a lot of our game. Five-on-five, I thought we played pretty well actually. We hit some posts, goalie made some good saves. Just try to capitalize on a few more changes.”

Knights at Panthers, Game 4 (5 p.m.)

TV: TNT, TBS, truTV

Radio: KKGK (98.9 FM, 1340 AM)

Line: Panthers -125, total 5½

Knights’ projected lineup:

Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Jonathan Marchessault

Reilly Smith — William Karlsson — Nicolas Roy

Michael Amadio — Chandler Stephenson — Mark Stone

William Carrier — Brett Howden — Keegan Kolesar

Alec Martinez — Alex Pietrangelo

Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore

Nic Hague — Zach Whitecloud

Panthers’ projected lineup:

Carter Verhaeghe — Aleksander Barkov — Anthony Duclair

Nick Cousins — Sam Bennett — Matthew Tkachuk

Ryan Lomberg — Anton Lundell — Sam Reinhart

Colin White — Eric Staal — Zac Dalpe

Gustav Forsling — Aaron Ekblad

Marc Staal — Brandon Montour

Josh Mahura — Radko Gudas