The Edmonton Oilers needed a hero last night during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, and as it turns out, the Oilers got two: Leon Draisaitl and Calvin Pickard.
While Draisaitl continued his legendary run by capping off a historic 3-0 comeback with the game-winning goal in overtime of Game 4, Pickard's performance allowed for Draisaitl and the Oilers to be in a position to beat the Florida Panthers in Game 4 after a disastrous first period.
“It's hard to describe the situation that he gets put in,” Draisaitl said of Pickard, via ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. “We're down 3-0. He's coming in. He's cold. It's not easy, and he makes those stops at the key moments when we really need them. He's one of the best in the league at making the right save at the right time. He's been nothing but spectacular for us.”
Pickard did just about everything right to stop the proverbial bleeding from which the Oilers were suffering after the first period, during which Stuart Skinner surrendered three goals.
Already down 2-1 in the series, the Oilers were seemingly going to head back to Edmonton with the Panthers on the brink of back-to-back titles. However, after the first period, Edmonton turned to backup goalie Pickard, who kept Florida from growing its lead.
Article Continues BelowInstead, the Oilers clawed back with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scoring a power-play goal early in the second period before Darnell Nurse put another past Sergei Bobrovsky more than halfway through the second. Vasily Podkolzin then scored with less than five minutes left in the period to tie the game up. In the third period, the Oilers took the lead with 6:24 to go on a Jake Walman goal.
Pickard's lone allowed goal of the game was a costly one; with about 20 seconds remaining in regulation, Sam Reinhart put one past him to tie the game up and send it to overtime.
Pickard came up big in overtime, though, deflecting a Sam Bennett slapshot with his glove nearly seven minutes into OT. The puck bounced off of Pickards' glove and then the crossbar before being gathered by Edmonton.
With Pickard's series-saving showing, the Oilers now head back to Alberta with the series tied 2-2. Game 5 is set to begin tomorrow at 6 p.m. MDT.