Stuart Skinner faced another difficult moment in the Stanley Cup Final as he was pulled again during Game 4 of the Edmonton Oilers‘ 5-4 overtime victory against the Florida Panthers on Thursday. Skinner, who had already been pulled in Game 3, was replaced by Calvin Pickard to start the second period after allowing three goals on just 17 shots in the first.
Matthew Tkachuk’s power-play goal in the first period kicked off the scoring for the Panthers. He added a second power-play tally shortly thereafter, and Anton Lundell extended the lead to 3-0. Skinner’s struggles continued, and after allowing three goals, he was replaced by Pickard.
“It’s unfortunate for Stu to be pulled there,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said, according to NHL.com. “Our team was flat. We needed to change things up, and it was great the way [Pickard] played. He made some really big saves. I didn’t think there were many shots in the second period, but there were a couple of really good quality ones that he came up with.”
Knoblauch also highlighted the importance of Pickard’s performance in the overtime period. “As the game went on, the one in overtime, he got his glove on it just enough to keep that from going in and it was great to see him make the saves when we needed them.”
Pickard’s role and Skinner’s performance
Pickard went on to stop 22 of the 23 shots he faced, with the lone goal coming from Reinhart’s game-tying goal late in regulation. Despite Skinner’s early exit, the Oilers were able to rally and secure a victory in overtime.
“I felt for [Skinner] today,” Pickard said. “He came ready to play today, he made some big saves early, we just didn’t have it as a team early and I think [Knoblauch] just wanted to switch it up. If he was playing behind our team in the second and third and overtime, he would have done what I did, too.”
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Series tied 2-2
The best-of-7 series is now tied 2-2, with Game 5 set to take place on Saturday at Rogers Place in Edmonton. As the Oilers continue to battle in the Stanley Cup Final, the question remains whether Skinner will reclaim his starting role or if Pickard’s performance has opened the door for a change in net. Either way, the stakes are high as both teams fight for the ultimate prize.