Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard will get the start in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final Saturday night.
The 32-year-old is set to face the Florida Panthers after making 23 saves off the bench in Edmonton’s dramatic 5-4 overtime victory Thursday that evened the best-of-seven title series 2-2.
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With the Stanley Cup within reach, the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers are set to battle once again for hockey’s ultimate prize. Watch every game of the Final on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
The flat, uninspired Oilers trailed 3-0 after an ugly first period — Stuart Skinner allowed three goals on 17 shots, but also made some massive stops — before Pickard took over to start the second.
Edmonton came to life and rallied to lead 4-3 with under seven minutes to go in the third, but Florida tied things late to force OT. Leon Draisaitl’s deflected pass off the rush then beat Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky for his second extra-time goal of the series, and record-breaking fourth of the playoffs, after he also ended Game 1.
Pickard improved to a perfect 7-0 this post-season with the victory. The former journeyman also replaced Skinner with Edmonton down 2-0 in the opening round against the Los Angeles Kings. He would go on to win six straight starts, but got hurt in Game 2 of the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights, which opened the door for Skinner to return.
The Oilers went on to beat Vegas and the Dallas Stars in five games apiece to set up a Cup rematch against the Panthers, who took last year’s series in seven.
Game 6 of this roller-coaster final goes Tuesday in Sunrise, Fla. Game 7, if necessary, would be back in Edmonton on Friday.
