EDMONTON, Alberta — In a pivotal Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers have named veteran goaltender Calvin Pickard as their starter, opting to ride the hot hand over regular starter Stuart Skinner.
Pickard, 33, steps into the spotlight after back-to-back relief appearances in Games 3 and 4. He replaced Skinner in both contests — first in a blowout loss and then in the early stages of Game 4 after Skinner surrendered three goals on 17 shots. Pickard responded with composure and confidence, stopping 22 of 23 shots, including 18 consecutive saves, helping the Oilers rally for an overtime win that leveled the series at 2–2.
“I guess you could look at today as the biggest game in my life,” Pickard said Friday. “But the last game was the biggest until the next one. It’s rinse and repeat for me.”
This marks a significant moment in Pickard’s 10-year NHL journey, which has seen him suit up for six different teams. Now, he’s anchoring a team with championship aspirations in front of a passionate home crowd.
🔀 A Bold Decision in the Crease
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch acknowledged the challenge of benching Skinner, who had previously shown a knack for elevating his game later in series. However, Pickard’s steady presence in the crease — and the Oilers’ Game 4 win — tipped the decision.
“We’ve got two good goaltenders,” Knoblauch said. “Stu has come in and played some really big games… But we won the previous game and Picks made a lot of big saves.”
Captain Connor McDavid also defended Skinner, emphasizing that his Game 4 exit wasn’t based on poor play but rather game momentum.
📈 Rare Postseason Company
With his Game 4 win, Pickard became just the fourth goaltender in NHL playoff history to win at least seven straight postseason decisions after not starting in his team’s opening playoff game. Overall, he’s posted a .896 save percentage and 2.69 GAA in nine appearances this postseason.
The Oilers now feature a rare goalie tandem: Pickard and Skinner are just the second duo in league history to each record seven-plus wins in a single playoff run, joining Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray from the 2017 Pittsburgh Penguins.
🧊 Locker Room Support
Pickard’s presence off the ice has also made an impression inside the Oilers dressing room.
“He’s one of the rare goalies that’s just a normal guy,” said forward Evander Kane. “Really popular in the room… Now you’re just seeing that off-ice translate on to the ice.”
🆕 Lineup Notes
In addition to the goalie change, Viktor Arvidsson draws back into the lineup, replacing Kasperi Kapanen on the wing.
🐾 Panthers Look to Extend Road Dominance
The Florida Panthers enter Game 5 as one of the most successful road teams in NHL playoff history. At 9-3 away from home, another win would tie the all-time single-season record for road victories. Florida’s 56 road goals this postseason are already the most in league history.
“We don’t change anything,” Panthers defenseman Seth Jones said. “Our game travels. It’s fast, physical, and direct — whether we’re at home or on the road.”
🏆 What’s at Stake
Game 5 is set for 8 p.m. ET Saturday. Historically, teams that win Game 5 in a 2–2 Stanley Cup Final go on to claim the series 73% of the time.
With Pickard between the pipes and momentum on their side, the Oilers will look to take control of a tightly contested series. But against a battle-tested Panthers team thriving away from home, nothing comes easy.
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