After playing an instrumental role in the Edmonton Oilers’ 5-4 overtime win in Game 4 on Thursday to even the Stanley Cup Final, goaltender Calvin Pickard will start Saturday’s pivotal Game 5 against the visiting Florida Panthers.
In relief of Stuart Skinner, who gave up three goals in the first period of Game 4, Pickard made 22 saves and improved to 7-0 this postseason with a 2.69 goals-against average and an .896 save percentage in nine appearances (six starts).
“It’s exciting, it’s a good opportunity for me obviously,” Pickard told reporters after Saturday’s morning skate. “It feels like another game for me, getting the time in last game and not having much time to think about it, not having much room for error and our team battling back and getting the win, gives you some confidence.
“The building is going to be electric tonight and it’s going to be an exciting day.”
With the Oilers trailing 3-0, Pickard shut the door on the Panthers in the second period with 10 saves, allowing his teammates to rally with three goals in the period. Edmonton took a 4-3 lead in the third before Florida tied it with 20 seconds left. The Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl scored the overtime winner to knot the best-of-seven series.
“It wasn’t an easy call because we have two good goaltenders,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said of giving Pickard the start. “Stu has come in and played some really big games, especially later in the series. But I think the deciding factor for us is that we won the previous game, and (Pickard) made a lot of big saves. That was probably the deciding factor; No. 1, we did win and how well he played for him to get the net again.”
In overtime of Game 4, Pickard made a huge save on a Sam Bennett one-timer to keep the game tied. With his glove, Pickard was able to deflect the puck up and off the crossbar.
Game 4 wasn’t the first time Pickard relieved Skinner, as the veteran backup came on in Game 2 of the Western Conference first round against the Los Angeles Kings. Pickard then started Game 3 with the Oilers down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
The 33-year-old Pickard won four straight to help send Edmonton into the second round and remained the starter for the first two games against the Las Vegas Knights. A Game 2 lower-body injury forced him out, with Skinner taking over for the rest of the series and the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Stars.
