Oilers' Calvin Pickard Will Start Over Stuart Skinner in NHL Stanley Cup Final Game 5

The Edmonton Oilers are rolling with the hot hand.

Greg Wyshynski of ESPN reported that the Oilers will be starting backup goaltender Calvin Pickard over starter Stuart Skinner in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This comes after Skinner was pulled in Games 3 and 4. Pickard notably backstopped the team to an overtime victory in Game 4.

Following the news, Pickard reflected on the opportunity and expressed his mentality that each game is "the biggest game in my life until the next one."

"I guess you could look at today as the biggest game in my life, but the last game was the biggest game in my life until the next one. It's rinse and repeat for me," Pickard said, per Wyshynski "It's been a great journey. I've been a lot of good places. Grateful that I had the chance to come to Edmonton a couple years ago, and this is what you play for."

Pickard is in his second season as the Oilers' backup and posted a 22-10-1 record with a 2.71 goals against average and a .900 save percentage during the regular season. He was Skinner's primary backup and his role in the postseason was expected to be minimal, like it was in the 2023-24 postseason when he made three appearances.

Instead, he was thrust into action in the team's first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings and started the second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights. He has given the team some life in the postseason with a 7-0 record, although he has posted a .896 save percentage.

Skinner has been electric at times in the postseason but really struggled in the first round, leading to Pickard's first elevation. When he reclaimed the role, Skinner dominated and looked like a force to be reckoned with. However, he allowed nine goals in four periods in Games 3 and 4, and now the Oilers can hope Pickard can replicate his performance in the back end of Game 4.

The series is currently tied 2-2, and Edmonton could take a step towards winning their first Stanley Cup since 1990 with a winning effort in Game 5.

Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. in Edmonton.