EDMONTON -- Stuart Skinner will start for the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of the Western Conference Second Round against the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Place on Monday (9:30 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX).
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said on Sunday that goalie Calvin Pickard remains day to day with a lower-body injury he sustained during a 5-4 overtime victory in Game 2 on Thursday.
Skinner allowed four goals on 24 shots and fell to 0-3 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in a 4-3 loss here in Game 3 on Saturday. Reilly Smith won it for the Golden Knights with 0.4 seconds left in the third period.
The Oilers have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series.
“I think Stuart made some really big saves, especially in the third period,” Knoblauch said. “He made a really good one, made some other ones early in the game on the penalty kill. Like Game 1 and 2 early in the L.A. series (in the first round), we just need to be better in front of him.”
Saturday was Skinner’s first start since April 23, when he was pulled in the third after allowing five goals on 28 shots in a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in Game 2 of the first round. He has a 5.36 goals-against average and .817 save percentage in three playoff games.
Skinner went 14-9 with a 2.45 GAA and .901 save percentage during the 2024 playoffs, helping the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final before losing in Game 7 to the Florida Panthers . He earned the No. 1 job at the start of the playoffs for Edmonton again this season after going 26-18-4 with a 2.81 GAA and .896 save percentage in 51 games (50 starts).
Pickard won six straight starts after replacing Skinner in Game 2 against Los Angeles. However, he appeared to have sustained his injury in the third period of Game 2 against Vegas when Tomas Hertl fell over his left leg moments before Alex Pietrangelo tied it 4-4 at 11:58. Pickard stayed in the game and finished with 28 saves.
The 33-year-old has a 2.84 GAA and .888 save percentage this postseason. He played 36 games (31 starts) during the regular season, going 22-10-1 with a 2.71 GAA and .900 save percentage.
“They both give us a chance to win every night” Oilers forward Zach Hyman said. “I don’t think we lost last game because of Stu by any means. I think we just have to play better in front of him.”
Edmonton had its chances on Saturday to take a 3-0 lead in the series and was in it right up until the end, when Smith caught Skinner out of position and scored with a shot that deflected in off of Leon Draisaitl’s stick.
“Your team game has to be the same no matter who is behind us,” Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse said. “We have a ton of belief in both guys, and Stu has been so good for us for so many years. He’s a big reason why we were able to go on a long playoff run last year.
“For us, we shot ourselves in the foot a little bit too much last night, and that said, he made some big saves to keep us in the game.”
Still, the Oilers will again be looking for their first win this postseason with Skinner as their starter. He has allowed at least four goals in each of his first three starts.
“I think defensively, I look at Game 2 in Vegas and Game 2 against L.A., defensively, those were our two weakest games, giving up chances,” Knoblauch said. “One, Calvin was in net and one, Stuart was in net. I don’t think we’re doing anything differently. Everyone has the same assignments, the same mentality. [We] wanted to win and do the right things.
“We don’t get more passive, we don’t get more aggressive. We’re playing the same style. It’s just sometimes luck runs its way.”
