NHL: Stanley Cup Final-Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers - Source: Imagn — NHL: Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner - Source: Imagn

Oilers’ Stuart Skinner makes his feelings known on getting ‘hit down’ by Panthers in Game 3 of Stanley Cup Final

Modified Jun 13, 2025 10:41 GMT

Game 3 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final was one to forget for Stuart Skinner and the Edmonton Oilers.

They were trounced by the Florida Panthers 6-1 and trail the series 2-1 heading into a crucial Game 4 on Thursday night.

Stuart Skinner was pulled midway through the third period after allowing five goals on 23 shots. He opened up to the media on Thursday about how difficult Game 3 was both physically and mentally, while vowing that he and his team would bounce back.

"It's not easy getting hit down, getting hit to the ground and getting back up. Sometimes it's easier, some days are harder. But again, talk about a defining moment and all that stuff. It's 2-1, you gotta win four games to win a series, right? So I think in the situation that we're in, we're just going to do our best to battle back into the series here. But, again, it's never over till it's over," Skinner said (4:10).

Skinner has a 7-6-0 record with a 2.84 goals-against average, a .894 save percentage, and three shutouts this postseason.

Stuart Skinner expects to start Game 4

Despite the way Game 3 played out for Stuart Skinner and the Oilers, the 26-year-old never thought about potentially being replaced by Calvin Pickard for Game 4.

"I felt like I was going to be in. I don't really see too much reason to panic quite, quite yet," Skinner said.

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The Oilers will need Skinner to reclaim his Western Conference Final form to get back into this series. Game 4 will take place on Thursday night in Florida. The puck drops at 8 p.m. EST at Amerant Bank Arena.

About the author

Jackson Weber is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with a Bcomm degree in Business and Sport Management from the University of Guelph.

Jackson has grown up as a lifelong Pittsburgh Penguins fan. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are his all-time favorite players. Watching the Penguins win the Stanley Cup three times is an experience that Jackson will never forget. Years later, you realize how rare it is to see your favorite team win even once, so three championships were just incredible.

When not watching, playing, or writing about sports, Jackson loves to cook and is passionate about health and nutrition.

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