Coach Kris Knoblauch finally confirmed that Calvin Pickard will be the starting goaltender for the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights. Knoblauch had previously been hesitant to announce his decision.
Pickard stepped in for Stuart Skinner during the second game of the first round versus the Los Angeles Kings and proceeded to win all four subsequent games, helping the Oilers overcome a 2-0 series deficit. During this run, he posted a 2.93 goals-against average and an .893 save percentage.
Despite Pickard`s successful run and the team`s momentum entering the second round, coach Knoblauch waited until the morning of Game 1 at T-Mobile Arena to officially name him the starter.
Knoblauch stated that the “number one” goalie is currently whoever starts the game, emphasizing the day-to-day evaluation. He acknowledged that Stuart Skinner would return to the net at some point, but he wasn`t sure when. He expressed confidence in both goaltenders` ability to secure victories for the team.
Knoblauch indicated a preference for consistency if Pickard performs well, but reiterated the team`s comfort level with either Pickard or Skinner in goal.
The 33-year-old Pickard, a native of Moncton, played 31 regular-season games compared to Skinner`s 50.
Before entering the first round against the Kings, Pickard`s recent playoff experience was limited to two starts and part of a third period in last year`s second round against Vancouver.
Pickard`s last regular-season start was coincidentally against Vegas on April 1st, a 3-2 win where he made 20 saves while Skinner was out with a concussion. However, Knoblauch minimized any potential playoff advantage this recent matchup might give Pickard.
Knoblauch explained that pre-scouting ensures both goalies and teams are well-prepared regarding shooter tendencies and goalie weaknesses, regardless of recent matchups.
He conceded that seeing the Vegas team recently might offer a slight comfort level for Pickard but believes its overall impact is minimal.
As an interesting parallel, the Vegas Golden Knights themselves successfully rotated goaltenders, Adin Hill and Laurent Brossoit, during their 2023 Stanley Cup championship run.
