In a world where goaltenders seldom talk on game days, Stuart Skinner sits in his stall and waits for wave after wave of reporters to approach him before game two of the Stanley Cup Finals, where some guys would race out of the room as soon as the doors open.
And that pretty much describes Skinner’s headspace ahead of tonight’s home game.
Poised, relaxed, no silly superstitions that one wrong question will affect his game or panic at the thought of facing a down-in-the-series Florida Panthers, itching to tie things up before heading home.
That’s just not how goalies operate.
Instead, on Wednesday night, Skinner proved that he—and his team, but mostly him—can handle the burdens of winning an important playoff game and come-from-behind while playing a team that is 31-0 when leading after the first or second period.
Correction: was* 31-0.
“When we are down, honestly, there’s no panic,” agreed Skinner. “Nobody’s really standing up and saying, ‘crap boys, we’re in a tough spot,’ nothing like that.
“And it’s the best feeling being able to keep your team in it. It is my goal. It’s my job. And when you see the results come from that, it obviously feels amazing.”
Take a minute, look at the Edmonton Oilers’ record, and you too might feel amazing about what’s been done.
Three shutouts.
A 13-4 playoff record.
And only one stolen home game courtesy of an own-goal that shall not be talked about, or repeated as the Oilers head into game two,
“I’m just gonna work and hopefully things go well,” added Skinner. “It’s really just competitiveness, fighting for sight lines, just working. So for me, that’s what I’m gonna be doing tonight.”
This morning, Skinner blocked several Evan Bouchard bombs, Trent Frederic’s attempt at a practice goal, and every other Oilers player except for Leon Draisaitl—the heart trophy finalist himself.
And when asked what his plan for tonight was, he responded with a simple, “just out-work them.”
“Some guys are 6’6, 230 lbs, and it’s hard to get guys out of the way,” explained Skinner. “In scenarios like that, you just got to take their stick away so they don’t tip anything. And from there, I just got to battle with quite a puck.
“But it’s hockey. It takes everybody to make a save. It takes everybody to score a goal.”
21 blocked shots during game one, 46 shots on goal, and 51 hits.
The secret to this momentum, you might be wondering.
“I think we’re a product of showing that we’ve unlocked it,” answered Skinner. “When we made it to the conference finals and lost to Colorado, I think that was a huge stepping stone, and we’ve just matured as a group.
“We talk about Florida being the weathered group, I think we’re a weathered group, too. So I think that’s what makes the series so much fun.”
Just like any weathered group, they’ll feed off a goaltender that shuts them out during a morning skate with the same locked-in composure that shut out two teams over three games.
What’s more? Skinner will probably welcome more questions post-game.
Edmonton Oilers expected lineup
RNH – McDavid – Perry
Kane – Draisaitl – Kapanen
Frederic – Henrique – Brown
Podkolzin – Janmark – Arvidsson
Ekholm – Bouchard
Nurse – Kulak
Walman – Klingberg
S. Skiner
Pickard
