Kris Knoblauch and the Edmonton Oilers’ coaching staff to roll with Calvin Pickard in Game 5 Saturday night didn’t quite turn out as planned.
After entering Games 3 and 4 in relief of Stuart Skinner, helping the Oilers mount a once-in-a-century comeback in the latter of the two, it made sense as to why the Oilers wanted to go with Pickard. While the loss can’t be pinned on Pickard in any way, hung out to dry more often than not, he didn’t find a way to make the big saves he had in games past.
Now, with the Oilers on the brink of losing the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year, there’s a choice to be made about who gets the start in Florida on Tuesday night.
“That’s a conversation with the staff, obviously our goaltending coach Dustin Schwartz, but with all the assistants, general manager (Stan Bowman), to kind of weigh in with how everyone feels and what’s best moving forward,” Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Sunday.
“And it’s not an easy decision. We’ve got two goalies that have shown that they can play extremely well, win hockey games. We feel that no matter who we choose, they can win the game.”
Both netminders have been strong in their own ways for the Oilers all through the playoffs. Skinner has posted a 7-6 record with three shutouts, a .891 save percentage and a 2.99 goals against average. Pickard’s loss Saturday was his first of the postseason, now sitting at a 7-1 record, with a .886 save percentage and a 2.85 goals against average.
What remains clear is that Skinner remains the higher upside goalie. He’s saved 4.01 goals above expected in the playoffs, compared to Pickard’s -.3 — and the trio of shutouts highlights that, too.
In the eyes of Oilersnation analyst and former Oilers goaltender Devan Dubnyk, the team should go back to Skinner in Game 6.
“I think they’ll think about it a little bit. I don’t think it’s just an automatic right now,” he said on Saturday’s edition of Oilersnation After Dark. “I think you want to take a step back, especially when you have two days, take a breath and evaluate.
“I just think with the way everything has gone — and listen, Calvin Pickard’s been a hero and is a huge reason why Edmonton is where they are — but when you look at when we’ve talked about it overall, the ceiling is higher for Stuart Skinner when he’s on his game… I do think the thing with starting Calvin Pickard tonight is you hope he does what he’s done, and it’s been incredible what he’s done, and you hope he does that and you roll with him through a Stanley Cup, but if something like tonight happens — even if it wasn’t just him — that you’re pretty quick to go back to Skinner in crunch time, which I think will be what they come up with for their decision.”
Game 6 between the Oilers and Panthers is set for Tuesday night at 6:00 PM MT in Florida.
