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The Edmonton Oilers are turning to their backup. After Stuart Skinner allowed 11 goals on 58 shots in Games 1 and 2 of the team's first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena — both losses — Calvin Pickard will get the nod for Game 3 on home ice.
“I’ll approach it the same way I’ve approached every game as an Oiler; go out and do my job and give our team a chance to win,” Pickard said after Friday's morning skate, per NHL.com's Derek Van Diest. “Obviously, the first two games didn’t go as planned in a lot of facets, but we know we have a better effort in this locker room and we know we’re going to get it tonight.”
Goaltending has been a significant problem for Edmonton in the series; Los Angeles put six goals past Skinner in a 6-5 victory in Game 1, and scored six again in a 6-2 triumph in Game 2 on Wednesday night.
Skinner has posted a ghastly 6.11 goals-against average and .810 save percentage in the series, and it's not overly surprising Pickard will get an opportunity in Game 3.
“He’s played well all year, he’s been solid for us, coming in, in big moments,” said captain Connor McDavid, who was held pointless in Game 2. “He did it last year in the playoffs as well. He’s obviously a guy we have a lot of faith in and I expect him to play well again tonight.”
Pickard has started twice in the postseason for the Oilers in the last two years, posting a solid 2.48 GAA and .903 save percentage in that span, per Van Diest. During the 2024-25 regular-season, he won 22 of his 31 starts, managing a 2.71 GAA and .900 save percentage.
The 33-year-old was relied on down the stretch, starting eight of Edmonton's final 11 games while Skinner was on the shelf with a head injury sustained against the Dallas Stars on March 8.
Game 3 feels like a must-win for Oilers at home
It looks like the Kings have switched the flip on the Oilers, who have defeated their Pacific Division rivals in Round 1 each of the last three years. It took only five games for Edmonton to dispatch LA last season.
But the Kings look rejuvenated in 2024-25, with a superior goaltender in Darcy Kuemper and a plethora of offense coming from the top line of Anze Kopitar, Andrei Kuzmenko and Adrian Kempe. Kempe is tied with Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov for the NHL playoff lead with seven points in just two games.
It's not going to be easy for Pickard against Los Angeles' high-flying offense, but based on how things have gone, he'll give the team a better chance to win than Skinner has so far.
“Calvin’s come in and played some really good games for us, dating back to last year,” Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said, per Van Diest. “This year, you look at his record, especially since Jan. 1, how many games he’s won and we felt that we’re in a position where we need to win a game and we have a lot of confidence in him.”
Regardless of who is between the pipes, the Oilers need to be better in Game 3; they can't afford to fall into an 0-3 series hole. Although they were able to make the comeback against the Florida Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final and force a Game 7, Friday night feels like a must-win.
Puck is set to drop on Oilers-Kings just past 10:00 p.m. ET from Rogers Arena.
