Calvin Pickard starts for Oilers in Game 5 against Panthers as Kane starts on fourth line

A goaltending change isn’t the only new thing the Oilers are deploying in Game 5, as the forward group has seen significant change. Most notably, Kasperi Kapanen has come out of the lineup in favour of Viktor Arvidsson, with the latter sliding in on the Oilers’ fourth line.

Evander Kane’s spot in the top six has been relinquished, as he swapped spots with Vasily Podkolzin, set to skate alongside Mattias Janmark and Arvidsson on the fourth line.

Edmonton’s top line of Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor Brown, as well as the Oilers’ third line of Adam Henrique, Jeff Skinner and Trent Frederic will remain the same. Leon Draisaitl will centre the second line with Podkolzin and Corey Perry.

On the blue line, things will remain the same from Game 4, with Brett Kulak and Evan Bouchard on the top pairing, Darnell Nurse and Troy Stecher on the second and Mattias Ekholm and Jake Walman on the third. It will be interesting to monitor the deployment of the defenceman Saturday, as Stecher — by way of a coaches decision — only played 4:18 in Game 4.

He took eight shifts in the first period, with his final one in that frame seeing the Panthers score their third goal of the period, and his final shift of the game came early in the second period.

Puck drop between the Oilers and Panthers is set for after 6:00 PM MT.