The Edmonton Oilers haven't done too well at protecting the net during the Stanley Cup Final, having surrendered no fewer than three goals in any game throughout the first three games of the series.
After losing 6–1 in a lopsided Game 3, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch was asked by reporters about the possibility of replacing starter Stuart Skinner with backup Calvin Pickard for Thursday's Game 4, via Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
While Knoblauch didn't rule out the possibility of making a change, he said no such decision would be made until closer to the game. He also acknowledged that he didn't feel Skinner was responsible for the Panthers' gluttony of goals on Monday night, despite pulling him late into the contest. Edmonton's head coach indicated Monday's blowout loss was a team-wide collapse, so he doesn't feel as if Skinner deserves much blame for the lackluster display.
Skinner has surrendered 13 goals on 97 shots and recorded a .865 save percentage throughout his first three appearances in the Stanley Cup Final. He's had some big games during the playoffs, but has also struggled with consistency. Overall, he's made 13 postseason appearances and has given up 38 goals with a .894 save percentage.
While Knoblauch may not think Skinner's performances are to blame for Edmonton being down 2–1 in the series, he's certainly been outplayed by Florida's Sergei Bobrovsky.
Puck drop for Thursday's game is set for 8:00 p.m. ET from Sunrise, Fla. at Amerant Bank Arena. It remains to be seen whether it will be Pickard or Skinner in the net for the Oilers as they look to even the series before returning home to Edmonton for Game 5.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Oilers Coach Addresses Possibility of Changing Goalies for Game 4 vs. Panthers.
