Oilers reveal starting goalie for Game 5 in Vancouver
Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch appears to be going with the hot hand.
As per Oilers TV host Tony Brar, goaltender Calvin Pickard was in the starter’s net at the Oilers’ morning skate today, meaning he’s the probable starter for tonight’s pivotal playoff contest.
Calvin Pickard is in the starter’s net at Morning Skate. Will start Game 5. #Oilers
— Tony Brar 🚀 (@TonyBrarOTV) May 16, 2024
Meanwhile, Arturs Silovs appears likely to be in the net for Vancouver once again.
The Oilers and Vancouver Canucks will be facing off for Game 5 tonight at Rogers Arena in BC, where puck drop is set for 7 pm PT/ 8 pm MT.
Pickard picked up his first-ever NHL playoff victory in his first playoff start on Tuesday night, stopping 19 of 21 shots in a Game 4 win to even out the series at two games apiece.
He came in replacement of Stuart Skinner, who had put up a 5-3 record but just a .877 save percentage in his eight starts for Edmonton so far in these playoffs.
Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard, who scored the Game 4 winning goal in the final minute of the third period, heaped praise on Pickard following the win.
“No matter what, he’s a great locker room guy,” Bouchard said. “Everyone wants to be around him, you want to be around him and when he can go in the net and play like that, it’s kind of hard to not want a teammate like Cal on your team.”
Pickard, a 32-year-old from Moncton, New Brunswick, was originally taken in the second round of the 2010 NHL Draft by the Colorado Avalanche. He has played for six NHL teams and is in his first season with the Oilers, suiting up for 23 games this season.
“He looked like a guy that had played 100 playoff games,” Knoblauch told reporters following Game 4. “Continually, his starts have been solid no matter how long he’s sat… We have a lot of confidence in him, and he came up big tonight.”