The Belleville Bulls aren't looking for the panic button.

Despite trailing the Brampton Battalion three games to one in their Eastern Conference Finals series and being a loss away from elimination, the Bulls will be going into Thursday's Game 5, surprisingly, with confidence. After all, it's a situation defenceman P.K. Subban and many of his teammates have been in before.

"I think it depends on how you look at it," Subban explained Wednesday. "I guess for most people it looks like we have our backs against the wall.

"We're in a situation with our season on the line. We understand that but I think we know how we're capable of playing and (Thursday is) do or die and I think our team's ready."

The stakes were higher a year ago when the Bulls rallied to force a seventh game in the Ontario Hockey League Final against the Kitchener Rangers after trailing three games to none. Kitchener avoided the collapse of epic proportions, taking the game and league title by a 4-1 final in the decisive game.

Although the Bulls' rally fell a game short of the OHL championship and registering a comeback for the ages, this year's team is loaded with returning players who can draw parallels from their impressive run when facing elimination a year ago.

"We would hope (the players) would draw on the experiences they have had and the odd situation we've been in with adversity," head coach and general manager George Burnett said. "Our season is on the line (Thursday). Knowing that, we would expect those with that experience to bring their best effort and push us back to Game 6 Friday night in Brampton."

For many of the veteran players, such as Subban and goaltender Mike Murphy, this year's playoff run is most likely the last before turning pro next season. Subban, a second round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2007, remains unsigned but will likely sign after winning back-to-back gold medals with the Canadian world junior team.

Regardless of whether Subban signs with the Canadiens or re-enters the draft this June, his time in Belleville will likely be over at the conclusion of this year's playoffs or Memorial Cup.

After falling short of both the OHL and Memorial Cup crowns a year ago, Subban knows his time for junior hockey glory is running out.

"At the start of the playoffs you think about that," he said. "You want to make the best of it. We're so close right now. It would be a shame not to put forth my best effort and to try to help my team and push them forward."

Teammate Murphy can also hear the junior hockey clock ticking, especially after signing a pro contract on Mar. 18 with the Carolina Hurricanes, the team that drafted him in the sixth round a year ago.

Murphy was slow to get back to his feet following Brampton's go-ahead goal early in the third period on Tuesday. He stayed in the game, a 4-3 loss in Game 4, which was later recognized as a tactical maneuver for his team to regain composure than a potential injury.

"He's a veteran goaltender just buying his team a little time to regroup," Burnett said.

"He's very competitive and I think that's what makes him so good," Subban said. "I think a couple times we've left him out to dry there. We have to compete for him just as hard as he competes for us every game. He always gives us an all-star effort."

Murphy could be on the verge of winning the league's goaltender of the year award for the second consecutive season. The league is expected to make that announcement as early as next week and Murphy will no doubt be in contention once again after leading the league in goals against average and save percentage.

Winning the award, however, will become a moot point if Murphy and his teammates aren't able to claw their way back in this series.

"He's a winner and I think he wants to be in there regardless of the circumstances," Burnett said. "I know that we'll expect a big effort from him (Thursday) and I'm sure we'll get it."

"You want to be in the game as much as you can and work hard as a team and the guys have been great in front of me all year long and I want to work hard too for them," Murphy said.

As Murphy and his teammates look at this year's comeback challenge, the Bulls' starting goaltender draws inspiration from an unlikely source: Philadelphia Flyers forward Daniel Briere.

Following the Flyers' 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh Tuesday night, Briere told the press after the game, "We're not dead."

Facing the same situation as Briere's Flyers who are also trailing three games to one in their series, Murphy made the same statement Wednesday.

"That's the same thing with us, we're not dead," Murphy exclaimed. "We have a lot of experience in this room. We have a lot of talented guys."

Although the situation may seem bleak, the Bulls may just be the best-prepared team for such a challenge.