Stanley Cup Final 2025: Why Oilers are right to stick with goaltender Stuart Skinner despite Game 3 massacre

Despite allowing five goals to 23 shots in match 3, Oilers goalkeeper Stuart Skinner will begin game 4 of the Stanley Cup final, announced coach Kris Knoblauch. Skinner has had some problems in this series, but here is the right call.

Skinner saw the end of 16:33 of the game 3 Massacre, a 6-1 victory for the Panthers of Florida, from the bench after being thrown for allowing his fifth goal. Florida’s defender, Aaron Ekblad, fell on the back and finished a perfectly executed play for a power game.

That, like most goals in this attack, was not Skinner’s fault. However, the numbers of the last four exits paint an ugly image of Skinner’s performance. He has published a percentage of savings of .860 with 2.86 objectives permitted above the average, for natural trick.

This gave Knoblauch a pause on Wednesday when asked about his first game. Ultimately, Knoblauch chose to stay with Skinner on Calvin Pickard’s backup. Tempting as may have been for Knoblauch to travel the “Break Glass route in case of 2-1 series deficit”, Skinner has won at least one more shot.

To begin with, Skinner has been simply better than Pickard in these playoffs, despite some ends.

Natural Stat Trick Natural Courtesia data

None of these statistical profiles will present comparisons with Patrick Roy or Dominik Hasek, but Skinner has a slight advantage. Given his horrible post -season start, it is a bit impressive that he returned to the average of the league.

After an injury to Pickard forced Skinner to the initial role, he took advantage of his opportunity. From match 4 of the second round to the end of the Western Conference final against Dallas Stars, a seven -game sample size, Skinner was exceptional.

Its savings percentage was impeccable .944, and saved 6.69 goals above average while publishing a 6-1 record. Skinner was a key reason why the Oilers did such a quick job from the Golden Knights and Stars, two power in the West.

In addition, Pickard is almost not a safe thing in this place. There is a reason why Pickard has bounced throughout his career, appearing in only 175 games and eight playoff games at the age of 33. Consistency has been a problem and bet on him in what could be a mandatory game seems to be even more risky than shooting with Skinner.

If Skinner starts a rock game in game 4, Knoblauch can afford to use a brief strap and put in Pickard. If the papers were reversed, could Knoblauch take the same approach? Skinner would already know that Knoblauch has lost some confidence in him before his skates even played the ice to relieve Pickard, and Skinner should make a go -up effort with little margin mistake.

Skinner’s killing in game 4 was the best option available for Knoblauch. The merger of match 3 was a team effort and Pickard has not been impenetrable either. Let Skinner try to redeem. He has already done it once in this post -empowerment.