Stuart Skinner started the second round on the Edmonton Oilers bench, but he ended it with back-to-back shutouts, a series win, and backing from both his coach and team captain.
The Oilers advanced to the Western Conference Final with a 1-0 overtime win in Game 5 over the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, thanks to Skinner’s 24-save performance and Kasperi Kapanen’s game-winning goal.
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It was Skinner’s second consecutive shutout after stepping in for the injured Calvin Pickard.
“He came up big the last two nights,” Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said after Game 5. “Tonight, we needed him, especially as the game wore on in the third period—a lot more saves were needed.
“Not only making the saves, but looking confident doing it. If anyone needed to feel good about their game and have a little reward, he deserved it.”
Skinner allowed 11 goals in his first two playoff starts during the first round before being pulled in the series against the Los Angeles Kings.
After Pickard’s injury in Game 2 versus Vegas, Skinner returned to the crease and hasn’t allowed a goal in the last two games after allowing four in Game 3.
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“The playoffs didn’t start off ideally for him, obviously,” Knoblauch said. “We went with [Pickard] for a little while, and then when [Skinner] had his opportunity, he went and played really well for us.”
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) shakes hands with Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) after the Oilers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights.Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Connor McDavid also addressed the scrutiny Skinner had faced, firing back at the goalie critics.
“Hopefully it shuts a lot of people up that were talking about him, first and foremost,” McDavid said. “We always had belief in him. He comes in and pitches two shutouts; you can’t say enough good things.”
Game 1 of the Western Conference Final is set for next week after the Winnipeg Jets extended their series against the Dallas Stars with a 4-0 win on Thursday.
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Related: Connor McDavid Fires Back at Stuart Skinner’s Critics After Game 5 Shutout
Related: Oilers Receive Calvin Pickard Injury Update Amid Vegas Series