The Edmonton Oilers are heading back to the Western Conference Final, and they’re doing it behind the calm, unshakable presence of a goaltender many had written off just weeks ago.
With Stuart Skinner stopping all 24 shots he faced in a 1-0 overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5, the Oilers wrapped up their second-round series on Wednesday night and advanced with authority. It was Skinner’s second straight shutout, and a performance that silenced critics—at least for now.
The winning goal came from Kasperi Kapanen, who buried a rebound 7:19 into the extra frame, triggering celebration on the Oilers bench and setting up another chance at the elusive Stanley Cup. But the spotlight quickly turned to Skinner and the response from his captain.
McDavid’s message
In the postgame scrum, Connor McDavid didn’t hold back when asked about the scrutiny Skinner had faced after a rocky start to the postseason and the injury to backup Calvin Pickard. “Hopefully it shuts a lot of people up that were talking about him,” McDavid told the reporters.
He added: “We always had belief in him. He comes in and pitches two shutouts—you can’t say enough good things.” Those words carried weight. Skinner began the series on the bench after a tough first round against Los Angeles, where he surrendered 11 goals in the opening two games.
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The net was handed to Pickard, but when he went down with a lower-body injury in Game 2 against Vegas, Skinner got another shot—and delivered under pressure.
A proven performer in elimination games
With Wednesday’s win, Skinner improved to 5-1 in elimination games across his playoff career, sporting a sparkling 1.97 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage in those situations. The only blemish came in last year’s Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.
What stood out this time wasn’t just the numbers—but the composure. “We can defend, we can, we’ve shown that time and time again,” McDavid added. “We came into a tough building and won a 1-0 game, and that’s what matters most.”
What’s next for the Oilers?
The Oilers will now await the winner of the series between the Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets, with Dallas currently holding a 3-1 advantage. Game 1 of the Western Conference Final is expected next week.
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As Edmonton looks to reach its first Cup Final since 2024 and win its first title since 1990, one thing is clear—Stuart Skinner is their guy, and Connor McDavid is making sure everyone knows it.
