Oilers Dealing with Illness, Skinner Back in for Game 6

Stuart Skinner will return to the net for the Edmonton Oilers in a must-win Game 6 against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. Down 3-2 in the series and coming off of a game where the offense was virtually non-existent, the Oilers face elimination in the Western Conference second-round matchup.

Skinner, who expressed his excitement about starting, has struggled this postseason with a .793 save percentage in three playoff games, allowing 12 goals on 58 shots. Despite these numbers, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch remains confident in Skinner’s abilities. He noted, “We’ve seen Stu play unbelievably well for us, steal games, just be solid,” Knoblauch said after the morning skate. “He’s been our guy all year. So, given a situation like this, that’s who we want in net.”

Skinner started the first three games of the series but was replaced in Game 3 after allowing four goals on 15 shots. Veteran Calvin Pickard stepped in, playing in his first-ever playoff game at the age of 32. Pickard posted a 1-1 record with a 2.21 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in his appearances.

When asked about how Pickard performed, Skinner said he was incredible and did the job asked of him. It is true that the loss in Game 5 certainly wasn’t on Pickard. Skinner also admitted it was tough watching from the bench as Pickard’s backup, saying, “It was tough just because you want to be in there.”

Other Possible Game 6 Lineup Changes for the Oilers

Knoblauch also hinted at potential lineup changes for Game 6, citing an illness affecting one player. “There might be another lineup change. It’s dependent on health,” Knoblauch said. The Oilers plan to have an extra skater on the ice during warmups to assess the situation before making a final decision.