Oilers haven’t named starting goaltender ahead of Game 6

The Edmonton Oilers are remaining mum about who will get the crease ahead of a pivotal Game 6 against the Florida Panthers.

With the series shifting back to Florida and the Oilers now on the brink of elimination, it’s no easy decision for the coaching staff to make, and one they’re not ready for.

“I am not,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch Monday when asked if they knew who could get the start.

Calvin Pickard, who started in Game 5 after helping the team come back to win Game 4, didn’t cost the Oilers, but didn’t necessarily help push them towards victory. While he’s been tremendous for the Oilers earlier in the playoffs — undoubtedly somebody that’s helped the team get where they are — there’s little denying that Stuart Skinner has the largest upside of the two.

Skinner’s posted three shutouts in these playoffs and has saved 4.01 goals above expected, according to Evolving Hockey. But those two games in which Skinner was pulled in the Final happened in Florida, something Knoblauch said they’re mindful of.

“It’s some consideration but… I think also of how he’s responded and how he’s played in difficult situations, especially latter half of the season,” he said. “Yeah, maybe he got pulled, but I don’t put any of that blame on him.

“I think Stu, like our team, is very resilient. They play their best when their backs are against the wall, and we need great performances from them. No different than whether it’s Stu or Picks. I think they’ve been able to come up big at most important times.”

The decision of who will get the start isn’t one Knoblauch will make on his own. He said Monday that input from across the organization will play into it.

“Just getting everybody’s input, whether that’s Stan Bowman’s thoughts or Paul Coffey or Dustin Schwartz, Glenn Gulutzan, Mark Stuart and our players — who they feel is going and who they feel confident at that time,” said Knoblauch. “And then, you know, there’s also the workload and numerous things that we can think about.

“In February, playing three in four is a little bit different than playing an elimination game, but I think it’s just ultimately, who do we feel is in the best position to win us a game? And that’s pretty much how the games have gone previously, and who’s looking really good at that moment and then we make our decision.”

And while there’s much that’s been made throughout the postseason — and the regular season, for that matter — about which goaltender the team seems to play better in front of, Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse doesn’t think there’s much difference.

Instead, it’s the players in front of whoever’s in the crease that need to up their game.

“They handle the puck a little bit differently,” he said. “With that said, it doesn’t matter which goal is in there. We have lots of confidence as D-men and as a team, we have to play better in front of them and defend better and limit the Grade A chances that we’re giving up against.

“They’re two goaltenders that have brought us to the Stanley Cup finals two years in a row and there’s not many other groups that can say that.”

The Oilers will take to the Florida ice for a morning skate Tuesday where they might name a starter, but that’s a decision they could take up until game time just after 6:00 PM MT.