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Skinner Scratched For Edmonton In Pivotal Game 3

Skinner Scratched For Edmonton In Pivotal Game 3

Yahoo25-04-2025

The Edmonton Oilers face the prospect of going down 3-0 after allowing 12 goals in losses to the Los Angeles Kings, but for a pivotal Game 3 on Friday at home, head coach Kris Knoblauch's only lineup change will be between the pipes, as backup Calvin Pickard will make the start in place of Stuart Skinner.
Knoblauch is shaking up his line combinations and defensive pairings, such as moving Leon Draisaitl to the wing to play alongside Connor McDavid, but is not subbing in any different forwards or blueliners, which means that former Buffalo Sabre Jeff Skinner will be a healthy scratch for the second straight game. Skinner went -2 in Game 1 and had an assist in the 6-5 loss, but was taken out of the lineup in place of another ex-Sabre Evander Kane. The 32-year-old signed to a one-year, $3 million deal with Edmonton after the Sabres bought him out last June and scored 16 goals this season.
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Here is how some former Sabres did in the playoffs on Thursday:
Sam Reinhart (FLA) 0G, 1A, +2, 22:45 TOI, 1 SOG
Dmitri Kulikov (FLA) 17:00 TOI, 4 Hits
Evan Rodrigues (FLA) 11:26 TOI, 2 SOG
Zemgus Girgensons (TB) 9:42 TOI, 1 SOG
Florida takes a 2-0 lead with a 2-0 shutout in Tampa in Game 2. The game was highlighted by former Sabres draft pick Brandon Hagel getting a major and game misconduct for a hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. Hagel will have a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety. Barkov's status for Game 3 is undetermined.
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Dylan Cozens (OTT) +1, 15:44 TOI, 3 SOG
Jake McCabe (TOR), 21:48 TOI, 1 SOG
The Maple Leafs took a commanding 3-0 lead over Ottawa in the Battle of Ontario with a 3-2 OT victory in Ottawa on Thursday when Simon Benoit's shot beat former Sabre Linus Ullmark.
Marcus Foligno (MIN) 1G, +1, 13:34 TOI, 4 SOG
Marcus Johansson (MIN) -1, 11:09 TOI
Zach Bogosian (MIN) 1 A, +1, 11:57 TOI
Jack Eichel (VGK) -2, 24:44 TOI, 3 SOG
Victor Olofsson (VGK) 10:37 TOI
Brayden McNabb (VGK) -1, 17:05 TOI
Minnesota takes a 2-1 lead in their series with Vegas with a 5-2 win, as Kirill Kaprizov scores a pair and Buffalo native Marcus Foligno scores his second goal of the playoffs.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Narratives during the playoffs can flip back and forth like a boomerang, and the velocity tends to ramp up when the Stanley Cup is on the line. Case in point: Stuart Skinner. The mustachioed Edmonton Oilers goaltender has gone from the impenetrable shutout king and the guy who outduelled Jake Oettinger again to getting pulled in Game 3 after allowing five goals for the second straight contest. Advertisement In terms of problems from Monday's 6-1 loss to the defending champion Florida Panthers, Skinner wasn't at the top of the list. Considering the Oilers' discipline issues, a stagnant offense and getting hemmed in by an aggressive Panthers forecheck, Skinner might not even make the podium. But he is the goalie, and pucks are getting past him greater frequency — something that was particularly apparent Monday. 'I don't think there are any bad goals,' Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. 'Maybe an extra save (would have helped). 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'This isn't the first time that we've said that over the course of the playoffs. When you make your goaltender make Grade-A stops, it's tough, especially against a really good team. We're going to have to defend better. All things we are capable of doing.' Skinner accepted his share of the blame after Monday's trouncing. There wasn't an excuse to be found despite how seemingly difficult it was to get into the game with seven power plays in the first period – four for Florida and three for Edmonton. 'It's definitely difficult, but that's hockey,' he said. 'If I wasn't able to handle it, I shouldn't be playing.' Skinner found a couple of the goals he let in to be 'chaotic.' There were some great shots, he said, by Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart before Sam Bennett's breakaway goal where he never seemed to have a chance. 'But as a goalie, you've got to come up with a save,' Skinner said. 'It doesn't matter. It's a game of inches. 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