Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner will get the start in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinal series versus the visiting Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
Skinner started 50 games during the regular season before struggling in the first two playoff games. The Edmonton native yielded 11 goals on 58 shots in back-to-back losses to the Los Angeles Kings.
Calvin Pickard started Game 3 of that series and has posted a 2.84 goals-against average and .888 save percentage during the Oilers’ six-game winning streak.
Pickard, however, was not on the ice for Saturday’s morning skate for undisclosed reasons. Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said Pickard is day-to-day.
“I’ve been here before, nothing’s that new to me,” Skinner said on Saturday. “It’s an opportunity again for me to go into the net and do my job and give these guys a chance to win.”
Skinner did plenty of that during last year’s playoffs. He went 14-9 with a 2.45 GAA and a ,901 save percentage, helping the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Florida Panthers in seven games.
Skinner, 26, was 26-18-4 with a 2.81 GAA and a .896 save percentage during the regular season.
Pickard, 33, was 22-10-1 with a 2.71 GAA and a .900 save percentage in 36 games (31 starts) during the regular season.
–Field Level Media
