"I’m a cheerleader on the bench" - Oilers goalie tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard forming NHL's newest bromance

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Apr 15, 2024 15:53 GMT

Stuart Skinner finds himself amid the buzz surrounding the formidable duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. However, there's a quieter but equally compelling narrative brewing in the Oilers' goal crease. Alongside Calvin Pickard, a goaltender with whom Skinner had never before interacted professionally, they've organically united to forge the newest bromance for the franchise.

Before this season, Stuart Skinner and Pickard hadn't shared much ice time together. However, since Pickard's call-up from the AHL in November, the two netminders have formed a fast friendship and are mutually propelling each other's performance on the ice.

Stuart Skinner, speaking to reporters, expressed his admiration for Pickard's stellar play:

“It’s amazing to see how well Calvin has been doing, I’m his number one fan, I’m a cheerleader on the bench when he’s in net."

Pickard, reflecting on their newfound team spirit, remarked on Skinner's character:

“I knew the goalie Stu, but I didn’t know the person Stu, I was blown away with what kind of character he is. … In terms of a tandem, you wanna be encouraging, you wanna be balance things off each other. We’ve had a really good relationship so far.”

The on-ice results attest to the chemistry brewing between Stuart Skinner and Pickard. Since his NHL call-up, Pickard has posted an impressive 12-6-1 record with a .912 save percentage in 21 games, providing crucial support in the crease. Meanwhile, Skinner has solidified his position as a reliable goaltender for the Oilers, boasting a stellar 35-15-5 record and a .907 save percentage.

While McDavid and Draisaitl may dominate headlines with their on-ice exploits, the burgeoning bromance between Stuart Skinner and Pickard is garnering attention of its own.

Stuart Skinner and Oilers lost 3-1 to Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks secured a 3-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, strengthening their lead atop the Pacific Division.

Casey DeSmith made 32 saves for the Canucks, while Tyler Myers praised the team effort.

“We’ve been working to trend back to our top level as a group and I thought that was a really good effort by us," Myers said.

Sam Lafferty, Pius Suter and Dakota Joshua scored for Vancouver. Despite Evander Kane's goal for the Oilers, they fell short. The absence of Connor McDavid, out with a lower-body injury, hampered Edmonton's efforts.

Edmonton forward Warren Foegele expressed disappointment over the loss.

"I thought we played strong. Disappointed we didn’t get the two points.”

Despite the Oilers' attempts, they couldn't clinch a win. Lafferty's late first-period goal set the tone, followed by Suter's deflected shot. Kane's late second-period goal gave the Oilers hope, but Joshua sealed the win for the Canucks with an empty-netter.

Thatcher Demko remained sidelined despite participating in morning practice. The victory solidified the Canucks' divisional lead as they head toward the playoffs.