Following a late change in goal during their Game 2 matchup against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, the Edmonton Oilers appear prepared to continue with Calvin Pickard in net.
Pickard occupied the starter`s crease during the Oilers` morning skate and is anticipated to be the starting goaltender for Game 3 against the Kings, set to take place Friday at Rogers Place.
Pickard shared his thoughts on the upcoming game:
“Obviously played a decent amount this year. Feel good about where my game`s at. Going down the stretch there, got some good wins against some good teams … Definitely feel confident going into it. Everybody needs to dig in and have a better effort than we had in L.A.”
Stuart Skinner, who served as the Oilers` primary goaltender throughout the regular season, was removed from Game 2 midway through the third period after allowing five goals on 28 shots. Three of the goals scored by the Kings on Wednesday occurred during their power play opportunities.
Across the first two games of the series, which the Oilers lost, Skinner has conceded a total of 11 goals on 58 shots. This performance translates to an .810 save percentage and a 6.11 goals-against average.
While Pickard possesses significantly less playoff experience than Skinner (four career playoff games compared to 37), his regular-season statistics, including goals-against average and save percentage, were marginally better, albeit over fewer appearances.
The 33-year-old netminder, a native of Moncton, New Brunswick, emphasized his mindset for handling the pressure of a playoff start:
“I`m just going to treat it like another game. Do my job, play my game and we`re all going to have a better effort.”
