It’s safe to say Game 1 hasn’t made fans in Edmonton more comfortable about the team’s goaltending situation. The Oilers fell by a score of 6-5 to the Los Angeles Kings , with Stuart Skinner allowing six goals on 30 shots for a .800 save percentage.
The goal that’s caught the most flak was the Kings’ game-winner, which came almost immediately after Edmonton tied the game in the third period. Los Angeles got out to a 4-0 lead, but the Oilers managed to battle back after waking up late in the second frame and rallying in the third. With under one minute left to play and the game appearing to be headed to overtime, Skinner was fooled by a knuckleball shot from just inside the blueline.
While the team came nowhere close to giving a full 60-minute effort in front of Skinner in Game 1 on Monday, it was a difficult showing for the Edmonton native. He didn’t look like the cool and composed Skinner we’ve seen during runs in the past, instead looking slow and shaky.
Skinner went 26-18-4 for the Oilers over 51 appearances this season with a .896 save percentage. It was a decline from the .905 save percentage he had in 2023-24 and is a ways away from the .913 save percentage he had in 2022-23 when he finished second in Calder Trophy voting.
The other option for the Oilers is backup Calvin Pickard, who went 22-10-1 with a .900 save percentage in 36 appearances during the regular season. The best stretch of Pickard’s season came in late March and early April when Skinner was out with a concussion, as the team won five of seven starts.
Will the Oilers go with Skinner again in Game 2? Or will they make the switch and go to Pickard? According to Sportsnet’s Mark Spector , head coach Kris Knoblauch said the coaching staff will decide who gets the start on Wednesday.
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