Call it the Stuart Skinner conundrum.
Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch pulled Skinner after the starting goaltender allowed five goals on 28 shots in the team’s 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. It came two days after Skinner surrendered six goals on 30 shots, including a knuckler off the stick of Phillip Danault that halted the Oilers’ comeback bid in the final minute.
Knoblauch told reporters Thursday that the circumstances are “unfortunate” for Skinner because he has been bombarded by high-danger scoring chances — 21 in two games, to be precise.
-
-
Watch the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sportsnet
The NHL’s best are ready to battle for the right to hoist the Stanley Cup. Watch every game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ beginning on April 19.
But the fact remains that Wednesday marked Skinner’s sixth incomplete start over the past three post-seasons — twice as many as the next-closest goaltenders on the list. He even briefly lost his starting job last year in the second round, which has left him with little benefit of the doubt.
Skinner’s performance in two losses to the Kings has forced Knoblauch to consider calling on backup Calvin Pickard in a critical Game 3 on Friday at Rogers Place.
“We knew throughout the (playoffs), if we’re fortunate enough to play through June, that most likely we’re going to make a (goaltending) switch at some (point),” Knoblauch told reporters.
Skinner has allowed 3.79 goals above expected to the Kings — 2.55 in Game 1 and 1.24 in Game 2. Los Angeles has been picking the top corners of the net, scoring four high-blocker goals and four high-glove goals against Skinner.
In fairness to Skinner, the Oilers’ defensive coverage has been nightmarish through two games. They have allowed four goals within 10 seconds of a turnover, including two within five seconds. Two of the four have been the result of Evan Bouchard turnovers. Connor McDavid and Viktor Arvidsson are the other culprits.
Los Angeles has completed 56.4 per cent of its passes to the slot; Edmonton allowed its opponents to complete 46.7 per cent of their slot passes during the regular season.
Add that all up, and Skinner is facing more dangerous offence than he is accustomed to. Compared to the regular season, Skinner has seen four more scoring chances and 4.4 more slot shots on net per 60 minutes in the first round.
“Lots of the goals are coming (on) just pucks in tight and around the net or passes coming through the crease,” Oilers defenceman Brett Kulak told reporters. “That part of the ice needs to be protected better.”
Mattias Ekholm’s steadying presence on defence is sorely missed. Minus Ekholm, who will not be available in this series because of injury, Knoblauch has paired Bouchard with Darnell Nurse. They have done OK; Edmonton has out-chanced Los Angeles 8-5 but been outscored 2-1 with Bouchard and Nurse on the ice at 5-on-5.
Ekholm’s absence is most evident on the penalty kill, where he averaged 2:05 of ice time per game this season. Nurse, who averaged 1:43 of shorthanded ice time per game during the regular season, has played 7:33 on the penalty kill against the Kings (3:47 per game).
After stopping all 12 Los Angeles power plays in the first round last year, Edmonton is 5-for-10 on the penalty kill so far.
“One guy’s not just going to step up and do everything that Mattias was doing,” Knoblauch told reporters. “Just the mistakes that we’re making, we’re making more, bigger mistakes. Often when you’re out on the ice, whether it’s a forward or a defenceman, you want to make a difference. You want to make that play. But sometimes the play’s not there to be had, and you just have to play it safe.”
Pickard performed admirably in his two second-round starts last year, going 1-1 and posting a .911 save percentage. But when Pickard had an opportunity late in the regular season to play consistently after Skinner suffered a concussion, he recorded a pedestrian 3.01 goals-against average and .896 save percentage in eight starts. (Pickard made four quality starts during that stretch, meaning he saved more goals than expected in half of those appearances.)
McDavid told reporters Tuesday that goaltending “is not necessarily about making all the saves” but “making the right one, the big one.” Skinner has shown in the past that he can step up in pivotal moments. He responded to his post-season benching last year by winning six of eight to help propel the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final. When Edmonton was on the verge of being swept by the Florida Panthers, Skinner saved 81 of 86 shots in Games 4-6.
The Oilers have expressed their confidence in Skinner, whose job has been made difficult by his teammates in this series. Nevertheless, Knoblauch’s decision on his starter Friday will be very telling.
All stats via Sportlogiq
