Elliotte Friedman speculates Oilers' reasoning behind decision to bench Stuart Skinner for Game 4 against Canucks

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified May 15, 2024 10:50 GMT

The Edmonton Oilers have opted to bench goaltender Stuart Skinner in favor of Calvin Pickard for Game 4 of their best-of-seven series against the Vancouver Canucks. The decision comes after Skinner allowed four goals on 15 shots in Game 3 and was replaced in the third period.

On "The Jeff Marek Show," analyst Elliotte Friedman shed light on the Oilers' thought process, drawing parallels to a similar situation with the Boston Bruins last year.

"One of the things I believe others felt last year was that maybe they went with Skinner for too long. It wasn't the reason they lost, but it was a factor," Friedman said.

According to Friedman, the decision to start Pickard over Skinner appears to be driven by a desire to shake things up and prevent history from repeating itself. Friedman likened it to Boston's handling of goaltenders Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark.

"I think this year, they're saying we're not making that mistake again. It's kind of like what Boston did with Swayman and Ullmark last year," Friedman said.

Friedman also hinted at concerns over Skinner's demeanor on the ice, particularly in response to goals against. He referenced hockey analyst Kelly Hrudey's emphasis on goaltender body language, suggesting that the Oilers may have observed signs that Skinner was letting the pressure get to him.

He said:

"One thing I heard was that they were concerned about the way Skinner was reacting to goals, like it was getting to him. Kelly Hrudey always talks about body language, and Kelly has forgotten more about that position than I will ever know. I kind of wonder about that.

"I heard something this morning that they seemed to think Skinner was letting it get to him, and it was visible."

Calvin Pickard to start for Oilers in Game 4, replacing Stuart Skinner

Calvin Pickard will step into the crease for the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 as they aim to even the series.

Pickard, despite limited playoff experience, embraced the challenge.

“Obviously the last five, six, or seven years since I’ve beenin the NHL, [I’m] consistently just believing in myself. I know I can play at this level, and this year I proved it to myself and everyone around me. It’s a really good opportunity tonight and I feel like I’m ready, Pickard said (via NHL.com)