Can Oilers Flip the Script and Ride Goaltending to a Series Comeback?

Given his postseason résumé, most hockey analysts would have given Sergei Bobrovsky the edge in the Stanley Cup Final’s goaltending battle. He’s been here before—calm under pressure, capable of stealing games, and the backbone of a Florida Panthers team built for the playoffs. Early in Game 4, Bobrovsky might have shut the door on the Edmonton Oilers for good. But he did not.

In comparison, the Oilers’ goalies – Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard – still have much to prove. The Panthers seemed poised to take complete control of the series after leading the Oilers 3–0 after the first period on home ice. But then came the comeback.

The Oilers Refused to Fold and Mounted a Comeback Against Bobrovsky

Edmonton refused to fold. They clawed back, tied the game, and won in overtime. Doing so, they snatched momentum in a game that could’ve ended their season. At the heart of that wild swing was goaltending.

Bobrovsky and Edmonton’s Pickard had moments of brilliance and chaos. Their performances didn’t just reflect the game’s outcome; they shaped it. Now, with the series knotted at two games apiece, one question looms: How will the goaltending battle impact the rest of the Stanley Cup Final? Because from here on out, this series might hinge on which goalie rises—or breaks.

Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final was a thriller, but not just because the Oilers tied the series. Beneath the goals and highlight-reel plays was a goaltending chess match that might define who lifts the Stanley Cup. Former NHL netminder Carter Hutton joined FAN Hockey Show to break down the performances of Pickard and Bobrovsky—and the analysis revealed much about what’s at stake in Game 5.

The Oilers Pickard’s Gamble Pays Off—Barely

As Hutton put it, Pickard’s approach to Game 4 was nothing if not bold. Playing aggressively atop—and sometimes beyond—his crease, he wasn’t trying to survive the game; he was trying to steal it. As Hutton said, “He’s not the cookie-cutter, well-groomed goalie… he’s a gamer.” Pickard relied on reads, instincts, and guts.

That style almost cost him. He often “swam” on east-west plays, especially on the tying goal. A more positionally sound goalie might have held his line, but Pickard bet on his feel—and it worked just enough.