Stuart Skinner gets start in must-win Game 6 for Oilers

Skinner has been a rollercoaster ride for the Oilers in the postseason. After being pulled in Game 2 against the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, Pickard took over in between the pipes and won six straight, putting Edmonton through to the second round and giving them the early lead over the Vegas Golden Knights. When Pickard went down due to injury, Skinner came back in, and after a shaky Game 3, he posted back-to-back shutouts to punch Edmonton’s ticket to the Western Conference Final. Facing off against the Dallas Stars, he had another rough Game 1, but then won four straight with a 1.25 GAA to send Edmonton to the Stanley Cup Final once again.

With a rematch of last year’s Final, Skinner started strong with some big saves in overtime in Game 1 before Edmonton put it away to take the series lead. But it wasn’t as fortunate from there on out. He was pulled in Game 3, then notably again after just one period in Game 4, leading Pickard to get the start in Game 5, where his unbeaten streak through this postseason was ultimately broken. And with that, Edmonton is now turning back to their number one guy.

If this all sounds a little familiar, it’s because it is. In last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, Skinner was pulled in Game 2 of the team’s second-round series against the Vancouver Canucks, handing Pickard the net for the following two games. After that, Skinner returned, playing up-and-down hockey through the rest of the postseason, helping the team all the way to Game 7 of the Final, where they ultimately fell to the Panthers.

So now is the time for Skinner to define his legacy with the Oilers. When he’s playing his best, he’s one of the top goaltenders in the game. When he’s off, it quickly becomes hard to watch. There’s no telling which version of Skinner will show up tonight, but despite his difficulties, he has shown the ability to come back strong after a few days off, rising to the occasion when it matters most.

And while there have been questions of goaltending throughout this series, make no mistake. If he plays hero tonight and Edmonton gets the win, there’s no denying his place between the pipes for Game 7 on Friday.