SUNRISE, Fla. — Stuart Skinner was pulled again by the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday.
Skinner was replaced by Calvin Pickard to start the second period after he allowed three goals on 17 shots in the first. In Game 3 on Monday, a 6-1 loss, Skinner was pulled in the third period after giving up five goals on 23 shots.
Matthew Tkachuk scored the first goal of Game 4 on a 5-on-3 power play at 11:40 of the first. Following a face-off win by Aleksander Barkov, he snapped a shot past Skinner’s blocker from the left circle with Oilers forward Evander Kane (high-sticking) and defenseman Darnell Nurse (tripping) in the penalty box.
Tkachuk then made it 2-0 during another power play at 16:56. He got the rebound of Sam Reinhart‘s initial shot and scored past the lunging glove of Skinner from near the right post.
Anton Lundell pushed the lead to 3-0 at 19:18, converting a pass from behind the net by Carter Verhaeghe following a turnover by Oilers defenseman Troy Stecher.
Skinner was 7-6 with a 2.84 goals-against average and .894 save percentage this postseason entering Game 4. Pickard is 6-0 with a 2.87 GAA and .888 save percentage in eight games (six starts).
Edmonton trails the best-of-7 series 2-1. Game 5 will be at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX).
