By The Numbers: Skinner's turnaround has Oilers on verge of another Stanley Cup Final

The Edmonton Oilers are just one win away from returning to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight season thanks in large part to the stellar goaltending they've been getting this spring. 

Edmonton took a 3-1 Western Conference Final lead on Tuesday night following a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars, a game that was highlighted by Stuart Skinner stopping 28 of 29 shots. 

After allowing five goals in a Game 1 loss last week, Skinner has allowed just two over the last three games.

“How we all played as a team was fantastic and shows a lot of courage, the way that guys are blocking shots,” Skinner told the media after Tuesday's win. “For myself, it definitely felt good out there. I’m just trying to give my team the best chance that I possibly can every night.”

Skinner was the No. 1 goalie to begin the playoffs, but quickly lost his job to backup Calvin Pickard after allowing 11 goals over the first two games against the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round. 

However, the 26-year-old Edmonton native is now playing some of the best hockey of his career since getting the crease back in Game 3 of the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights after Pickard went down with an injury.

Since returning to the net on May 10, Skinner owns a 5-2 record alongside a 1.55 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage, good enough for second in the NHL over that stretch behind Florida Panthers star Sergei Bobrovsky (1.13 GAA and .953 SV).

He's also recorded three shutouts and allowed just one goal over his first four wins of these playoffs, something only Ilya Bryzgalov (2006), Ed Belfour (2004), Patrick Lalime (2002) and Felix Potvin (1994) have accomplished.

"He was huge for us," winger Evander Kane said on Monday. "We needed him probably more than we would have liked to. If he can continue playing the way he's played down the stretch … we really, really like our chances." 

Skinner and the Oilers probably wouldn't be in this position, however, if it weren't for Pickard and his strong performance during his time in the starter's net. Over six starts - last four games against the Kings and first two games against the Golden Knights - the 33-year-old Pickard posted a 6-0 record with a 2.84 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage. 

Pickard was healthy enough to serve as Skinner's backup in Game 4. 

Overall, Skinner has brought down his goals-against average to 2.47 and his save percentage up to .910 over nine total postseason contests. Over 44 career playoff games, Skinner has a 2.76 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage. 

Skinner's 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs is actually playing out in similar fashion as last spring. Skinner lost the starter's job briefly to Pickard for two games in the second round against the Vancouver Canucks before returning and helping the Oilers to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final where they lost to the Florida Panthers.