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Edmonton Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch Confirms Calvin Pickard's Fate For Game 4

Originally posted on Hockey Latest | By Tom Banks | Last updated May 11, 2025 3:06 PM ET

The Edmonton Oilers fell in Game 3 with Stuart Skinner in net, and now, he'll make another start in Game 4 after an announcement from Kris Knoblauch.

After taking a 2-0 lead in Vegas, the Edmonton Oilers saw starter Calvin Pickard, who had won the previous six games for the team go down with injury, as their hand was forced to turn back to Stuart Skinner.

While he was solid, the team would allow a goal with 0.4 seconds remaining on the clock as the road team is now 3-0 in this series, with Vegas having a chance to tie the series up at 2 in a crucial Game 4 on Monday.

Now, Head Coach Kris Knoblauch has revealed Pickard's status ahead of the must-win game, noting that he will again be out as the team turn back to Skinner for this one.

Through the first two series of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Skinner has allowed a 5.39 GAA and a .817 save percentage, and while Pickard hasn't been setting the world on fire, he's been a much more steady hand in net for a team loaded with red-hot stars all over the ice.

It's unclear just how long Pickard could be out of the Oilers lineup, but unless Skinner has a fantastic game on Monday, it's more likely than not that the team will turn back to Pickard as the series goes on, as he's shown he clearly gives them the best chance to win.

Ultimately though, any team with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will always have a chance, but if they want to go one step further than 2024, they'll need consistency in net, so don't be shocked to see Pickard back in net as soon as he's healthy.

This article first appeared on Hockey Latest and was syndicated with permission.

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