Don’t expect many changes from the Edmonton Oilers heading into Game 1 of their second-round series, aside from maybe just this major one — the team apparently hasn’t decided who’s starting in net.
A 6-4 victory at home in Game 6 on Thursday punched Edmonton’s ticket to the second round of the playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights, who won the Pacific Division with a 50-22-10 record. Riding high on a four-game winning streak, the Oilers enter this matchup with momentum on their side, having stormed back to eliminate the Los Angeles Kings in six games after losing the first two on the road.
The Oilers took the ice at the Downtown Community Arena on Sunday and the team’s lines and defensive pairings were the same as they were against the Kings, according to Ryan Rishaug. Stuart Skinner was in what would normally be the starting goaltender’s net, Rishaug added.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl played together for much of Edmonton’s wins in Games 3 to 6. Corey Perry was most commonly the third forward on that line, while Zach Hyman also saw time with the team’s top duo. Hyman otherwise mostly played on the second line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evander Kane.
Kane and John Klingberg joined the Oilers in Game 2 after finishing the regular season on the Long-Term Injured Reserve and both players made an impact. Trent Frederic, who’s been dealing with an ankle injury, also improved as the series went along, finding chemistry on the third line with Adam Henrique and Connor Brown.
The Oilers mostly used five defenders against the Kings: Darnell Nurse, Evan Bouchard, Jake Walman, Brett Kulak, and Klingberg. Ty Emberson averaged just 10:45 per game in the first round, so Troy Stecher may come into the lineup for the sophomore. Stecher suffered an injury late in the regular season and was cleared to play during the first-round series against the Kings.
Who’s starting in net for the Oilers in Game 1?
The big story here is the goaltending situation. When asked about Skinner being in the starter’s net, head coach Kris Knobluach said the team hasn’t made a decision yet.
Question: I don’t suppose you’re going to let us know your starting goaltender just yet.Knoblauch: Not yet, we’ll wait.Question: We noticed that Skinner was down at the end that is generally reserved for the starter. Should we read into that?Knoblauch: We haven’t made our decision, so neither should you. We’ll make that announcement before the game, Game 1.
Skinner allowed six goals on 30 shots in Game 1, including a flub late in the third period right after the Oilers had tied the score with a late-game rally. He then allowed five goals on 28 shots in Game 2 and was pulled in favour of Calvin Pickard in the third period.
The Oilers went with Pickard in Game 3 and he helped them to a 7-4 win. Edmonton went with the hot hand for the rest of the series and finished the Kings off in six games, with Pickard posting a .893 save percentage across four wins. Though that doesn’t seem very good at a glance, only one of the 12 goals Pickard allowed between Games 3 and 6 came in the third period. He was able to lock in when the Oilers needed him most.
Though logic would suggest the Oilers should keep going with the goalie who’s winning, the decision isn’t entirely straightforward.
Pickard has only made six starts in the playoffs in his NHL career and he isn’t used to playing a starter’s workload, especially during the grind of the post-season. The Oilers will surely need to start Skinner at some point if they’re going to play into late June, and they need to pick the right time to make changes to keep momentum on their side.
If Pickard struggles in Game 1 and the Golden Knights win, the Oilers will need to go to a struggling Skinner in a high-pressure Game 2. If Skinner struggles in Game 1, the Oilers can go back to a well-rested Pickard. These aren’t ideal situations to consider, but they are possibilities.
We’ll find out on Tuesday what the Oilers decide to do.
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