Oilers HC Kris Knoblauch sends message to Stuart Skinner after clutch back-to-back shutouts

The Edmonton Oilers punched their ticket to the Western Conference Final in dramatic fashion, and Stuart Skinner, once benched earlier in the playoffs, is suddenly the name on everyone’s lips.

After starting the second round on the sidelines, Skinner reclaimed the crease and delivered back-to-back shutouts, including a 24-save gem in Wednesday’s 1-0 overtime victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5. The win sealed the series for Edmonton, and the response from head coach Kris Knoblauch made it clear: Skinner has silenced the doubters.

“He came up big the last two nights,” Knoblauch said after the series-clinching win. “Tonight, we needed him, especially late in the third when they made their push. Not only was he making the saves — he looked confident doing it. If anyone needed a reward for staying with it, it was him.”

It’s a stunning turnaround for the 25-year-old netminder, who was pulled after giving up 11 goals across his first two playoff starts against the Los Angeles Kings. But when Calvin Pickard went down with an injury in Game 2 of the Vegas series, Skinner stepped in and never looked back — shutting the door entirely in Games 4 and 5.

Connor McDavid defends his goalie

The reaction inside the Oilers locker room was just as emphatic. Captain Connor McDavid didn’t mince words when addressing the criticism Skinner had faced earlier in the postseason.

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“Hopefully it shuts a lot of people up that were talking about him, first and foremost,” McDavid said. “We always had belief in him. He comes in and pitches two shutouts; you can’t say enough good things.”

The Oilers now await the winner of the Dallas Stars–Winnipeg Jets series, which was extended after Winnipeg’s 4-0 win Thursday night. Game 1 of the Western Conference Final is expected to begin early next week.