Oilers Goalie Skinner Pulled Again in Stanley Cup Final Game 4

SUNRISE, Fla. — Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner was pulled after allowing three goals on 17 shots during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers on Thursday night.

This marks a second consecutive game Skinner has been replaced; he was also pulled during the third period of Game 3, following a disappointing performance that saw him concede five goals on 23 shots.

Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk opened the scoring at 11:40 of the first period, capitalizing on a 5-on-3 power play. He scored from the left circle after a face-off win, driving a shot past Skinner’s blocker. Tkachuk then doubled the lead with another power-play goal at 16:56, converting a rebound from a shot by Aaron Ekblad.

Panthers forward Anton Lundell pushed the lead to 3-0 at 19:18, finishing a play started by a turnover from Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.

Entering Game 4, Skinner had a record of 7-6 with a 2.84 goals-against average and .894 save percentage in this postseason. His backup, Alex Pickard, remains undefeated with a 2.87 GAA and .888 save percentage in eight playoff games.

The Oilers trail the best-of-seven series 2-1, with Game 5 scheduled for Saturday at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

Skinner had hoped to bounce back, noting his solid record in Game 4 situations in his career. “I felt like I was going to be in. I don’t really see too much reason to panic,” he said ahead of the game.

Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch expressed confidence in Skinner as the series progresses, stating, “He gets better as the series goes on.” Knoblauch made lineup changes for Game 4, including inserting forward Brandon Brown to boost the top line alongside star center Connor McDavid.

The Panthers do not plan any lineup changes ahead of the game and expect a more disciplined match. Florida defenseman Erik Jones remarked, “I think both teams probably want to be a little bit more disciplined this time.” Coach Paul Maurice echoed this sentiment, noting the importance of discipline as the series nears its conclusion.

Game 4 is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET.