“Our team was flat. It was, uh, you know, we didn’t give him many opportunities. Had, again, taken three penalties in the first period—uh, two high-stickings, which I’m hating,” Kris Knoblauch highlighted the change needed during Game 4 between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers. “The change was great,” he later said when Stuart Skinner left the ice after the end of first period, and a crucial 5-4 win ended the night for the Oilers at the Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday.
With the series now tied at 2-2, all eyes turn to Game 5, defining the teams’ chances of lifting the Stanley Cup. While the Panthers, after losing the latest one, decide to move on, as Matthew Tkachuk quoted—“The team that moves on from this, and team that recovers the fastest is going to have the bigger advantage on Saturday,” the Oilers still weigh their options in the goal. Who will carry forward the postseason lead in Game 5?
While Skinner indeed carried much of the postseason load, his time on ice was reduced in recent games, with Calvin Pickard stepping in during high-pressure moments. But with the momentum shifting and the stakes at their peak, the Oilers have yet to confirm who will start in net for the next one. “I’m not going to name one yet,” the head coach replied, leaving a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the team’s path while preparing to head back for a home match Saturday.
NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA Stanley Cup Final – Media Day Jun 7, 2024 Sunrise, Florida, USA Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch takes questions during media day in advance of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Sunrise Amerant Bank Arena Florida USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJimxRassolx 20240607_szo_zg8_0172
And with that, the uncertainty continues to loom over! However, it’s not without reason because both Skinner and Pickard have played a crucial role so far. “Yeah, both goalies have been really good and key to, for us to getting here. You know, Stu, since Pick’s injury came in, played some really good games — the Vegas series, Dallas series obviously,” Knoblauch further said. While Stuart Skinner is considered the team’s Game 4 specialist, he started the last game but was pulled after allowing three goals on 17 shots in the first period. Pickard, on the other side, who hadn’t started since May 8 due to a lower-body injury, stepped up with 22 saves on 23 shots, which ended with providing the Oilers with a stunning 5–4 overtime comeback win.
But the head coach didn’t just stop there. He had more to offer. “Anytime that we haven’t been strong in front of them, you know, it’s unfortunate — like last night in the first period, we weren’t at our best, and, it puts the goalie in a vulnerable position,” he said. But why was the switch made then? “As a coach, we make that switch, and Picks comes in and makes some huge, huge saves. So, it’s nice that we’ve got a nice tandem, that they’re going back and forth, and each one of them have been really, really solid for us,” the head coach cleared it up, pointing out how as a goalie it’s important to just play better in front of the net. And the Oilers, therefore, did much better in the second, third, and overtime than in the first one, right?
Despite holding the edge in experience and having posted three shutouts in 14 playoff starts, perhaps Skinner’s recent inconsistency has made the decision difficult. With both the goalies now showing flashes of brilliance but also carrying risk, Knoblauch’s hesitation reflects nothing but the small margin the Oilers are navigating in one of the most pivotal upcoming games against Florida.
Why Pickard may edge out Stuart Skinner in Game 5.
“I’ve always wanted to be a good goaltender first, and then the fun guy part will take care of itself,” Calvin Pickard said after grinding out a 3–2 win in Vegas earlier in the postseason. And that quiet self-belief is what becomes central to Edmonton’s unexpected revival. Now recording his points at 7-0 in the postseason, Pickard joined the list of Oilers greats like Grant Fuhr, Dwayne Roloson, and Billy Ranford—the rare company of goalies who remained unbeaten through the seven playoff games in a single run.
“Pickard was really good and Stu wasn’t bad at all, but sometimes you have to realize that changing the goalie can wake up the team,” Fuhr said. After all, Pickard not only woke up the Oilers but revived their chances in the Finals with his Game 4 performance while dropping and turning aside Anton Lundell breakaway that could have buried Edmonton and also stopping Sam Bennett’s slot shot in OT. Pickard indeed tracked every puck with focus!
With a 2.69 GAA and 0.896 save percentage in nine games, the goalie proved his prowess every time he was placed in front of the net and appears to have a stronger case to start GAme 5. Despite the head coach’s uncertainty of picking one, or players like Corey Perry stating, “It doesn’t matter who’s in the net or who’s back there. We have trust in both of them,” Pickard likely has earned more chances than Stuart Skinner to compete in the playoff battles.
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