Stuart Skinner wasn’t happy — with himself or the situation.
The Oilers goaltender had been pulled after surrendering four goals on just 15 shots as part of a 4-3 loss to the Canucks in Game 3 of the teams’ second-round playoff series.
Skinner and his .793 save percentage through three outings against Vancouver took a seat two nights later with the club trailing the best-of-seven matchup 2-1.
Calvin Pickard — a dependable, journeyman backup — would start the next two contests, posting a win and a loss.
Skinner, Edmonton’s No. 1 option most of the regular season, rejoined the action with the Oilers facing elimination down 3-2 in the Pacific Division showdown, stopping 14 of 15 shots in a 5-1 victory before a 15-save performance in a 3-2 triumph in Game 7 punched Edmonton’s ticket to the Western Conference final.
The 25-year-old hasn’t really looked back following his reset.
After being down in the best-of-seven series 3–1 against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup finals, the Edmonton Oilers have managed to keep it going for one more game after winning 5–3.
Skinner outduelled Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger in the third round and has been the better netminder the last two outings in the Stanley Cup final against Sergei Bobrovsky — a brick wall early now showing some serious cracks — as the Oilers have responded from a 3-0 deficit to force Game 6 at home Friday.
“It pissed me off, first and foremost,” Skinner said of getting benched against Vancouver.
“It really sucked — pushed me to find my game and do absolutely everything I can, no matter what happens, to fight my way and give my team a chance to win.”
The born-and-raised Edmonton goaltender has done exactly that, helping to steer the franchise he cheered for growing up within two victories of its sixth title.
Down 3-0 and facing elimination in Game 4 on Saturday against the Panthers, Skinner was terrific early before the Oilers turned on the gas in an 8-1 home drubbing.
Again with no margin for error in Game 5 back down in South Florida, he robbed Aaron Ekblad in Tuesday’s first period to afford his group the opportunity to find its footing before Connor McDavid went off with a second consecutive four-point performance — his eight points the most over a two-game span in the history of the final.
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