Pronger is clearly in peak condition. He’s all pumped up about being in the finals for the first time after spending nine seasons with the St. Louis Blues, who always fell short in the playoffs no matter how well they played during the regular season.

Once the lockout was settled, St. Louis dealt Pronger to the Oilers in a cost-cutting move. Edmonton has sure taken advantage of his imposing presence — especially in the postseason, becoming the first eighth-seeded team to reach the finals under the current format.

Pronger has averaged more than 31 minutes a game in the playoffs, with a high of 47:17 during a crucial double-overtime win against Detroit in the opening round. Edmonton went on to beat the NHL’s best regular-season team in six games, the biggest upset this postseason.

Now, the Oilers are trying to become only the second team in NHL history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the finals. They’ll be cheered on in Game 6 by a raucous home crowd, which has been the talk of the series with its deafening sing-alongs to both the U.S. and Canadian national anthems, not to mention its loyalty to a gritty, blue-collar team that defied all odds by making it this far.

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When Edmonton lost Game 4 at Rexall Place, giving Carolina a chance to clinch the cup at home, the fans sent their team off the ice with the inspiring chant, “Let’s go Oilers!” It worked.

“They have been unbelievable,” Pronger said. “Whenever we’ve needed them, they’ve been at their best. We seem to feed off their energy.”