Oilers Name Pickard Starting Goalie for Crucial Game 5

EDMONTON, Alberta — The Edmonton Oilers have named goaltender Calvin Pickard as their starter for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. This decision comes after a series of challenging performances from regular starter Stuart Skinner, who was pulled in previous games.

Pickard, 33, took over for Skinner after a difficult outing in Game 4, where Skinner allowed three goals on 17 shots. In his relief appearance, Pickard made 18 consecutive saves before the Florida Panthers tied the game, ultimately stopping 22 of 23 shots he faced.

<p"I guess you could look at today as the biggest game in my life, but the last game was the biggest game in my life until the next one. It's rinse and repeat for me," said Pickard, who has had ten years of experience across six NHL teams. "It’s been a great journey. Grateful that I had the chance to come to Edmonton a couple years ago, and this is what you play for."

During the playoffs, Pickard has proven to be an asset for Edmonton. He went 6-0 in the first round before an injury sidelined him, allowing Skinner to regain his starting position. With his recent win, Pickard becomes only the fourth goalie in playoff history to secure at least seven wins without starting a team’s opening playoff game.

Edmonton captain Connor McDavid expressed confidence in the decision to start Pickard, saying, “I don’t think Stu was at fault at all for any of the goals the other night. It was just a victim of circumstance, and Picks came in and gave us a chance.”

Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch highlighted the tough choices in goaltending, acknowledging Skinner’s past performances but emphasizing Pickard’s crucial saves in recent games. “We’ve got two good goaltenders,” Knoblauch said. “But I think the deciding factor for us was we won the previous game and Picks made a lot of big saves.”

This goalie change is notable, as it marks a rare occurrence in Stanley Cup Final history. The last time multiple goalies recorded decisions for a Cup-winning team without an injury reason was in 1972 with the Boston Bruins.

Oilers gameplay will feature one more lineup change, with winger Jesse Puljujärvi replacing another forward. Meanwhile, the Oilers hope to gain an upper hand over a Florida team known for strong road performances. The Panthers have an impressive 9-3 record away in these playoffs, and a win would tie the all-time record for road victories.

“I’ve noticed that the style of game that we play travels. Our game is very direct,” said Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. “It’s simple, physical hockey and it’s fast. We don’t need to change anything on the road; just get to our game a little quicker.”

Game 5 is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday. Historically, the team that wins Game 5 of a tied 2-2 Stanley Cup Final series takes home the championship 73% of the time.