May 29, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene (95) attempts to score on Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the first period in game five of the Western Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Oilers Need Stuart Skinner's Strong Play to Continue

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Max Mezo | Last updated May 31, 2025 11:00 AM ET

With Thursday night's Game 5 win against the Dallas Stars, the Edmonton Oilers are headed to the Stanley Cup Final for a rematch with the Florida Panthers, who beat them in seven games last year.

If Edmonton is as motivated and driven as they say they are to re-write the script from last year's loss to Florida, there's one component for the Oilers that must continue if they want any chance at redemption, and that's the stellar play of goaltender Stuart Skinner to continue.

Skinner's first six games of this year's playoffs are games he and his teammates surely never want to see again. During that span, he allowed 20 goals and sported the second-worst save percentage of any goalie in the playoffs, only in front of Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck, per NHL.com.

It was a shaky start to the playoffs for a goalie backstopping the reigning Western Conference Champions, who opted to put veteran goalie Calvin Pickard between the pipes for seven games to give the then-struggling Skinner time to find his footing.

Skinner Heating Up at the Perfect Time

Maybe Skinner was telling the truth when he said, "What outside noise?" when responding to the criticism he was facing due to his poor outings, because he's since played like a goalie you can rely on to take you to a second-consecutive Stanely Cup Final.

"What outside noise?"

Stuart Skinner on if it is difficult to block out the "outside noise" in Edmonton this time of year pic.twitter.com/n945eaFZ14
— BarDown (@BarDown) May 13, 2025

In Edmonton's last four games, Skinner is sporting a .952 save percentage with a 1.25 goals-against average, which is best in both departments among the goalies remaining. What's even more impressive is that through the ups and downs of Skinner's play, he's maintained a 2.6 goals saved above expected, which is sixth best among all goalies this playoffs, according to MoneyPuck.com.

If Skinner can maintain this level of play, the Panthers will have difficulty finding the back of the net as the Oilers play under the sixth-best expected goal against per 60 mark (2.25) of any team this playoffs.

The only issue is that Florida is the team right in front of them in that department, a team that's also had a more consistent goalie between the pipes this playoffs, something that didn't seem to matter in the finals last year and probably won't this year, either.

In the finals against the Oilers last year, Florida netminder Sergei Bobrovsky finished the series with 17 goals against to a team that had a 2.3 expected goals for per 60, good for 10th-best last postseason.

Things only get worse for the Panthers this playoffs, as the Oilers head into the finals with a 2.83 goals per 60 tally, good for second-best this playoffs. It won't matter, however, if Skinner's early playoff performances creep back in.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: