Will this finally be the year the Stanley Cup comes back to Canada?
The quest to end the Canadian Cup drought continues as the Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, and Toronto Maple Leafs move on to the second round.
Sports Pulse
Edmonton Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard, who has won six games in a row, is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury so Stuart Skinner will start in net for Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Skinner was pulled in Game 2 of the opening series against the Los Angeles Kings and has a 6.11 goals-against average and .810 save percentage. Pickard is 6-0 with a 2.84 GAA and .888 save percentage.
But Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch noted that Skinner came back in last season’s playoffs after taking time off during the second round and helped carry Edmonton to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
“We expect (Skinner) to come in and deliver what he’s done before,” Knoblauch said, adding, “I think he’s ready and we’re going to go from that.”
Said Skinner: “I’m excited to go back into the net. I’ve had some time to work on some things and I’m ready to go.”
The Oilers lead the Golden Knights 2-0 in the second-round series heading into Game 3 in Edmonton (9, TNT, truTV).
Brayden McNabb injury update
Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb, who went hard into the boards after an unpenalized trip in Game 2, made the trip to Edmonton but is day-to-day, coach Bruce Cassidy said.
Forward Brandon Saad also is day-to-day.
But the Golden Knights will get back injured forward Pavel Dorofeyev, their leading goal scorer during the regular season.
Forward Nicolas Roy is available after the NHL Player Safety department fined him after a hearing instead of issuing a suspension for his cross-check to Trent Frederic’s face in Game 2.
Anthony Stolarz injury update
Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said goalie Anthony Stolarz is “progressing in the right direction” but has yet to resume skating.
Stolarz left Game 1 after taking a shot of the mask and being elbowed in the head. He got sick to his stomach at the bench during a TV timeout and was taken to the hospital for further evaluation and released. Joseph Woll has started the last two games in net.