Oilers G Pickard in starter's net at practice
Published
Edmonton Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard was in the starter's net on Monday ahead of Tuesday's Game 1 of their second round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Pickard, who won all four of his starts against the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round, was not in the starter's net during Sunday's skate.
Stuart Skinner was the starter during most of the regular season, but struggled in the first two games against the Kings, allowing 11 goals on 58 shots as the Oilers found themselves in a 2-0 hole heading back to Edmonton for Game 3.
Pickard, a career backup goalie, would go on to start the next four games, posting a 4-0 record alongside a 2.93 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage as the Oilers won the series in six games, eliminating the Kings from the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.
The 33-year-old Pickard started 36 games during the regular season, posting a 22-10-1 record with a 2.71 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage.
Skinner, 26, went 26-18-4 over 51 games, producing a 2.81 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage with three shutouts. The Edmonton native was much stronger last spring, going 14-9 alongside a 2.45 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage in the playoffs, helping the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final where they fell to the Florinda Panthers in seven games.
Pickard enters the Vegas series with eight games of postseason experience.
The Golden Knights eliminated the Oilers in six games in the second round of the 2023 playoffs en route to their first league title in franchise history.