Breadcrumb Trail Links
Published May 13, 2024 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 6 minute read
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – MARCH 02: Stuart Skinner #74 of the Edmonton Oilers looks on during the second period Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on March 02, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. Photo by Steph Chambers /Getty Images
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Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner got pulled after the second period of Edmonton’s 4-3 loss the Vancouver Canucks, igniting a huge debate on social media about whether or not Skinner should start in Game Four on Tuesday night in Edmonton.
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said the decision would not be made about the Game Four starter until every cools down and the coaches meet to discuss the best option.
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Asked if the team needed more saves, Knoblauch stated the obvious: “Yes, we need more saves. Tonight obviously I felt like that with Picks (back-up goalie Calvin Pickard) going in in the third period. But, yeah, defence and along with goaltending, it’s very important to winning hockey games, especially in the long term, and it’s got to be better.”
Asked about Skinner’s play, the coach said: “I think tonight is one he’d like to have back. We’ll see what he’s got in the future. Whether that is Game Four or Game Five or whatever it is, but we’ll be seeing Stu again. And I have no doubt that he’ll respond and play well.”
Skinner or Pickard in Game Four?
— David Staples (@dstaples) May 13, 2024
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Here are the highlights from social and mainstream media:
Sportsnet commentator Luke Gazdic on Skinner for next game.
I start him. He’s your guy. You got to ride him. You got to go with your guy. I would be starting him. But, honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised.
Oilers commentator and radio host Dustin Nielson
Silovs brilliant, Skinner no where close.
Harman Dayal, of The Athletic’s Vancouver bureau
Stuart Skinner is a problem for the Oilers
Cult of Hockey writer Kurt Leavins
Oilers got double-goalied tonight.
“Well posts is not good goaltending.”
Draisaitl on if the Oilers hitting the posts was due to good goaltending 😂
pic.twitter.com/TMOFRHoyeA
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 13, 2024
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Ben Kuzma, hockey writer Vancouver Province
The Oilers have a problem in goal, the Canucks have an answer in Silovs.
Oilers fan Romulus’ Apotheosis
The funny thing is, I think even .900 goaltending would do it. Like, forget whatever replacement level is these days… just hit .900 and you probably win the series.
Sportsnet commentator Kelly Hrudey
It’s only been three games, but clearly (Vancouver goalie Arturs) Silovs has been outplaying Stuart Skinner and that’s a poor sign for the Edmonton goaltender. And I feel for him because he’s been grinding away. Remember, last year he got pulled four times in the playoffs. You hope this isn’t the start of a trend. But for me they must have to seriously consider going with Pickard for the start of the next game. No other consideration really. They have got to try and turn the tide here quickly.
Rob Tychkowski, Edmonton Journal sports columnist
Stuart Skinner hasn’t been good enough and wasn’t again in a crucial defeat… Skinner didn’t let in any egregious goals like he did in Games 1 and 2, but he didn’t give Edmonton the stops it needed…”
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Edmonton Journal writer Jim Matheson
Stu Skinner has been stand-up guy when he has had tough games in past, falling on his own sword but Oilers chose not to make him available after Game 3
Oilers fan Jackie Bee
Here’s the thing. I love Stu – I think he is capable of doing great things. In the playoffs – every other goalie is making unsavable saves. Time for Skinner to step up.
Sportsnet columnist Mark Spector
Stuart Skinner was not made available by the Oilers postgame to speak to the media.
Played at the end, didn’t talk.
Pressure getting to team and goalie?
You’ve got to wonder.
Edmonton sports writer Terry Jones
Goaltending
Oilers fan Tyson Munro
The best way to sum it up. Some brutal breakdowns defensively but Skinner not holding his end of the bargain
The Athletic writer Jonathan Willis
Stuart Skinner has made 20 postseason appearances. His career playoff save percentage is .881, the worst of any Oilers goalie to play even one full game. For all his regular season value – and it’s real, especially given (Jack) Campbell’s implosion – can you keep him in net?
Ian Gooding, Managing Editor Dobber Hockey
If I’m the Oilers (which I’m clearly not), I would seriously consider starting Pickard for Game 4. As per Frozen Tools, Stuart Skinner has had really bad starts in all three games of the series.
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Analytics bloggers EvolvingWild
Through 8 games, Stuart Skinner has allowed -5.7 goals above expected per Evolving Hockey. Connor Hellebuyck’s -6.5 GSAx in 5 games is still the worst in the this year’s playoffs (so far).
ESPN writer Greg Wyshynski
Just a note that Stuart Skinner 9-1 after losses this season including 8 wins in a row. (Per ESPN StatsInfo)
Big Head Hockey
Stuart Skinner this series:
— 43 saves on 54 shots
— .796 sv%
— 5.27 more goals allowed than expected
Is Edmonton running with Skinner all playoffs?
Oilers fan Morgan Laidler
Skinner’s save percentage this playoffs.
LAK GM1 – .892
LAK GM2 – .808
LAK GM3 – .964
LAK GM4 – 1.000 SO
LAK GM 5 – .857
VAN GM1 – .857
VAN GM2 – .842
VAN GM3 – .733
Two things: Yes, not all the goals have been directly his fault. You can’t possibly start Skinner in game 4.
Oilers fan Troy @heavyoilcontry
Skinner has been pulled in 4 of his last 7 starts in the 2nd round in last 2yrs. This is indefensible on a multitude of fronts, the waiting and/or letting him find his game/rebound is over, he’s had his opportunities.
Pickard has to start G4, this is non-negotiable at this point
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CBC radio sports reporter Min Dhariwal
At some point your tendy has got to steal one steal one for you in the post. At this point Stu couldn’t even steal a Snickers from Red Rooster right now. Get the backup in there and tie this shift up! #lotsofhockeyleft #lastspringvibes
Oilers fan Rob Soria
Skinner is getting badly outplayed and Silovs is giving his team what they need. 8+ periods into this series, the Oilers have been the better team but the goalie matters. Kudos to the Canucks to this point.
Thomas Drance, Vancouver writer for The Athletic
There’s just no getting around it: Skinner needed to find a way to save one or two of four he allowed to prevent the Oilers from entering the third period down a pair. That’s what separates an excellent, Stanley Cup-winning goaltender from merely a good-to-average keeper who gets knocked out in the second round.
give me all the skinner memes. all of them
— Mike Halford (@MikeHalford604) May 13, 2024
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My take
1. I’d go with Calvin Pickard in Game Four. Skinner has had three weak games in a row. In this one, he let in four goals on just nine grade A shots. If he’s let in just two goals on nine Grade As and he’d still be in. Maybe even three goals.
But NHL goalie stops three out of four Grade A shots on average. Skinner didn’t come close to that, and this after shaky performances in the first two games of the series.
2. The Oilers had to know that to win the Stanley Cup they’d almost certainly need Calvin Pickard to step in and win a game or two. They didn’t trade for another goalie presumably because they had trust he could do so. Now is the time to see if they made the right bet. Skinner is struggling, he’s not making saves, and he’s not challenging shooters. Not one of the four goals against was terrible, but he’s got to stop some of those shots.
3. Last year when Skinner struggled in the playoffs, the Oilers stuck with him. Many or most fans, including me, were in favour of that, given that Jack Campbell had been so iffy all regular reason. But Pickard hasn’t been iffy. He’s been good. He’s been solid. He could well provide the Oilers with a major boost here. He’s at least as good a bet as Skinner.
Bottom lines: Skinner isn’t getting the job done. His game isn’t picking up. This is the second year in a row this has happened in the playoffs. There was no other good option last year, but this year there is in Pickard.
Let’s see how he does. Make sense?
At the Cult of Hockey
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