The Edmonton Oilers are gearing up for Game 3 of their second-round playoff matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights. Edmonton took the first two games of the series on the road and now holds a 2-0 series advantage as they head home for Games 3 and 4. However, the Oilers could be in some trouble due to an injury. Starting goalie Calvin Pickard has been deemed day-to-day ahead of Game 3. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch provided an injury update on the starting goalie. Knoblauch also mentioned that Stuart Skinner would be taking his place in the net moving forward due to the injury. This is massive news for the Oilers, as Pickard had won every game that he started for Edmonton. Stuart will now be tasked with helping the Oilers get past the Golden Knights, but his playoff numbers are a little troubling. Skinner has not played since Game 2 of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings. The Oilers pulled him after he allowed five goals on 28 shots.
Against Vegas over his career in the postseason, Skinner owns a 3.97 GAA and .875 save percentage. The Golden Knights will look to take advantage of this situation as they try to get back into the series. His regular season numbers were better in general, going 22-10-1 with a 2.81 GAA and a .896 save percentage. The Oilers will be heavily relying on the veteran goalie to help them get another win in this series. Game 3 between the two sides is set to kick off at 9 p.m. ET Saturday.
The Edmonton Oilers will be turning to Stuart Skinner in Game 3 this evening versus the Vegas Golden Knights. There was speculation this may be the case after Calvin Pickard was absent from today’s morning skate, and the Oilers wound up confirming the news a short time later. “Calvin Pickard is day-to-day, Stuart Skinner is our starting goalie tonight,” head coach Kris Knoblauch said this morning. “We’re expecting Skins to come in and deliver what he’s done before. He was in this situation last year after having a little break in the Vancouver series. [He] came back and was a really solid goaltender throughout that series against Vancouver and throughout the rest of the playoffs. I think he’s ready and we’re going to go from that.”
Pickard has been excellent for the Oilers since getting in between the pipes in Game 3 of their first round series versus the LA Kings, putting up a 6-0-0 record. He had arguably his best start of the postseason on Thursday night versus the Golden Knights, kicking aside 28 of the 32 shots he faced in a 5-4 overtime victory. While the Oilers haven’t confirmed when the injury took place, Pickard appeared to be shaken up moments before the Golden Knights tied Thursday’s game 4-4 late in the third period. He was spotted lingering after having Tomas Hertl fall on his leg.
Skinner will now be making his first start since Game 2 versus the Kings. The 26-year-old struggled immensely in his two playoff starts, posting a 6.11 GAA paired with a .815 SV%. “Not the situation that we want to be in, but that’s playoffs,” Skinner told reporters this morning. “You need two goalies to go all the way. I’m excited to go back in the net. I’ve had some time to work on some things and I’m ready to go. I’ve been here before, nothing is that new to me. It’s an opportunity for me to go in the net and do my job and give these guys a chance to win. That’s all I can do, go out there, play my game. The building is going to be loud. I’m really excited to go back in there.”
Aside from the massive goaltending news, all other lines and pairings for the Oilers were the same at today’s skate. They will be looking to take a stranglehold on the series tonight, though doing so would be far more difficult without Pickard, who has been a rock for them to this point. Head coach Kris Knoblauch predicted the Edmonton Oilers would need Stuart Skinner back in net at some point in the playoffs. Calvin Pickard’s health prompted that change for Saturday’s Game 3 of a second-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights with the Oilers leading 2-0.
Knoblauch said before the game that Pickard’s status was day-to-day. Pickard appeared uncomfortable and was seen shaking out his left leg after Vegas forward Tomas Hertl landed on his left pad in Game 2 in Las Vegas. Pickard finished out the 5-4 overtime win with 28 saves, including all seven in overtime. He was lauded by his teammates as a prime reason the Oilers were able to bring a two-game lead home to Rogers Place. Skinner prepared for his first playoff action since he was pulled in the second game of a first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings.
“Not the situation that we probably want to be in, but I mean that’s playoffs,” Skinner said. “You need two goalies to normally go all the way. I’m excited to go back to the net. I’ve had time to work on some things and I’m ready to go.” Knoblauch had said before Tuesday’s Game 1 in Las Vegas, “I know there’ll be a time when Stu’s back in that net” while adding he hoped Pickard’s performance wouldn’t be the reason. It turned out to be his health, and the severity of his injury was unknown. The Oilers being in control of the series gave them leeway to be cautious with a goalie who has come into his own this postseason.
Pickard’s six straight playoff wins tied Andy Moog (1983) and Grant Fuhr (twice in 1987) for the fifth-longest streak in franchise history. Pickard’s goal-against average was 2.84 and his save percentage .888 in those half-dozen starts. “Very fortunate, we’ve got two goalies we have a lot of confidence in,” Knoblauch said. “For Picks to go on this run throughout the playoffs without a loss is really remarkable and just riding the hot hand, unfortunately he’s not available for us right now. Fortunately, we got a great backup option. And when I say backup, our starter for all the year and he’s ready to go.”
The 33-year-old Pickard, from Moncton, had just two previous playoff starts to his name before this season. Skinner is 19-17 all-time in career playoff games for the Oilers with a goal-against average of 3.00 and a save percentage of .889. The 26-year-old from Edmonton was pulled for Pickard after the Kings scored five goals in a 6-2 win April 23. “I’ve been here before. Nothing’s that new to me,” Skinner said. “It’s an opportunity again for me to go into the net and do my job and just give these guys a chance to win.” Stuart started all but two post-season games in 2024 when Edmonton reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final and lost 2-1 to the Florida Panthers. “We’re expecting Skins to come in and deliver what he’s done before,” Knoblauch said. “He was in this situation last year after having a little break in the Vancouver series and came back was a really solid goaltender throughout that series against Vancouver and throughout the rest of the playoffs.” Skinner missed eight of Edmonton’s last 11 regular-season games after he was concussed. Pickard went 5-3 during that stretch.
