The Edmonton Oilers opened up the season at home against the Calgary Flames. Fans of the Oilers celebrated Connor McDavid before the game and hoped it would bring a victory. It did not lead to a victory, though, as the team fell in a shootout. One reason for the loss was a third-period blunder by goaltender Stuart Skinner.

“I won't be thinking about it, no. It happens. It's probably the easiest fix I'll make this year. A quick decision, throw it in the corner, that's that,” said Skinner of the blunder that may have cost the Oilers the game, according to Mark Spector of Sportsnet. “It was one bad decision and it makes you look really bad and that's kind of how it goes.”

Before the goal, the Oilers had a 3-2 lead heading into the third period. This happened just seconds into the third and shifted momentum. This was a play on a simple dump-in from Calgary that should have been cleared to the corner, or at a minimum, from out in front of the net. Still, the Oilers' defender and Skinner both failed to move the puck. Blake Coleman took advantage and tied the game. This led to overtime, and an shootout win for the Flames.

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Goaltending woes continue in Edmonton

Mark Spector of Sportnet has called this a “trust” season for Stuart Skinner, and that is exactly what this is. Skinner and fellow goaltender Calvin Pickard have both struggled, especially when it mattered most in the playoffs. This led to the trade for Connor Ingram from the Utah Mammoth, in hopes of fixing the situation.

“Anytime you get scored on, yes, it's a gut punch,” remarked head coach Kris Knoblauch. “Whether it's us playing an almost perfect first half of the game, and then we get sloppy, and they score on (a fluke deflection) goal — that was a gut punch.” When it comes to big situations, the gut punches have happened all too regularly for the Oilers.

Skinner said he is not going to be thinking about it, but he should be. Fluke plays are called that because they do not happen often. When fluke plays happen all the time, it is a player issue. Skinner needs to evaluate that.