Stuart Skinner was due a bounce-back performance in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and he finally secured a crucial win during the Edmonton Oilers‘ 3-0 shutout triumph over the Vegas Golden Knights. After the much-needed victory to regain confidence and take a 3-1 series lead, Skinner voiced a powerful message, aimed at Connor McDavid and the rest of the team.
The Oilers are pushing the Golden Knights to the brink of elimination after a commanding 3-0 victory at Rogers Place. Edmonton is now one win away from reaching the Western Conference Final for the third time in the last four NHL seasons.
As McDavid and company hope to hoist the franchise’s sixth Stanley Cup in front of Oil Country, Skinner delivered a dominant performance—finally putting the ghosts of the past to rest and showcasing the abilities that helped guide Edmonton to the Stanley Cup Final last season.
Skinner recorded his first win of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs after dropping his first three starts, and he delivered a confident message to the locker room as Calvin Pickard continues to deal with an injury.
Stuart Skinner #74 of the Edmonton Oilers looks on from the bench against the Los Angeles Kings during the third period in Game Two of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 23, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
“It felt great. All I can really say is thanks to the guys playing in front of me. They were amazing tonight and made my job easier,” Stuart Skinner stated postgame, via NHL.com. “They were battling and blocked a lot of shots. The way we played defensively was superb. A lot of credit to the guys.“
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Tempers flared
Game 4 between Vegas and Edmonton was one of the most fiercely-contested matchups in this year’s postseason. For instance, the game featured the first fight in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs when Trent Frederic and Nicolas Hague dropped the gloves during a candid opening period.
“You could just sense the energy. There was a lot going on, fighting and a lot of pushing around,” Skinner added. “A lot of momentum back and forth. In moments like that you’ve just got to focus your mind and do your job. I felt like all of us as a team really did that in those types of moments.”
Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers skates in warm-ups prior to the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic against the Calgary Flames at Commonwealth Stadium on October 29, 2023 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Bound to catch a break
Skinner had delivered a relatively well-rounded performance in the third meeting between these two sides, but one crucial misstep in the dying seconds rendered it all in vain. He put that disappointment on the back burner and helped the Oilers prevail in Game 4, as they’ve now put their foot on the Golden Knights’ neck and sit one win away from clinching the series.
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“He made huge saves when we needed them,” Oilers’ Adam Henrique said. “You could see the last game, the confidence with him is there. He was playing the puck, hung on to it for about 10, 15 seconds. It was great to see him get rewarded with a shutout tonight.”
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The Knights and Oilers will gear up for battle once again on May 14, with Vegas facing elimination in front of their home crowd at T-Mobile Arena. Edmonton has been victorious in the first two visits to Sin City, and will hope for similar success in Game 5.
