Sources: Oilers plan to start Calvin Pickard in net for Game 4 vs. Canucks

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Oilers are expected to tap Calvin Pickard to make his first career Stanley Cup playoff start in Game 4 against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Place on Tuesday night, sources tell Daily Faceoff.

Coach Kris Knoblauch’s brave decision to start Pickard comes two days after he replaced starter Stuart Skinner for the third period of Game 3 when Skinner allowed four goals on 15 shots. 

The Oilers are looking to even-up this best-of-seven, all-Canadian series at two games apiece in Game 4. If not, the Canucks will have a chance to advance to their first Western Conference Final since 2011 on Thursday night in Game 5. Vancouver will be without defenseman Carson Soucy in Game 4 on Tuesday night after he was suspended for one game by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for his cross-check on Connor McDavid after the final horn sounded in Game 3.

Pickard dips his toe into a pressure cooker in Oil Country with incredibly limited playoff experience at any level. Prior to Sunday, the 32-year-old Pickard appeared in just five total playoff games as a pro in his 15 years since junior hockey. 

Like the man he will oppose on Tuesday night in Vancouver’s Arturs Silovs, Pickard entered this season as his team’s third goaltender behind Jack Campbell and Skinner. Campbell was banished to AHL Bakersfield in early November after five shaky starts to the season that sunk the Oilers to the bottom of the standings. Campbell, in the second season of a five-year, $25 million deal, has since been recalled for the playoffs as the Oilers’ third/emergency goaltender.

Meanwhile, the Edmonton native Skinner has struggled mightily in the postseason. He has a .793 save percentage this series and is statistically the worst playoff performer of any netminder in the salary cap era with at least 15 games played.

Pickard played well in his first full season at the NHL level since 2016-17. He collected a .909 save percentage in 23 games played, despite not seeing action for large chunks of the schedule while Skinner carried the ball. He’s dropped it, now Pickard’s to run with for one night at least.