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EDMONTON – If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
As far as starting goalies are concerned, the Edmonton Oilers won’t reinvent the wheel by naming Calvin Pickard the starter in Game 4 over Stuart Skinner.
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While it may seem strange to the casual viewer about why Pickard will get the nod for a second consecutive game, there are two key reasons why the Oilers are turning to him again to even up their series against the Los Angeles Kings.
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At the morning skate on Sunday, Kris Knoblauch spoke to the media. He fielded a few questions regarding their choice to go to Pickard over Skinner. There was one key attribute that Knoblauch highlighted.
“He finds a way to win hockey games,” Knoblauch revealed. “Whether we feel better or play better in front of him, or just that he comes up with big saves at key times.”
“Game 3 he came up with some big saves, especially in the third period…he came up with some clutch saves.”
It’s tough to fault a coach for going back to a goaltender who delivered the team it’s first win of the series. But that’s not the only thing that makes sense about Pickard being named the starting goalie.
Calvin Pickard Laughs In The Face Of High-Danger
Looking at the NHL Edge data, there is one facet where Pickard is miles ahead of Skinner. High Danger shots save percentage (HDS%).
Skinner has the lacklustre .571 HDS%, while Pickard has a .875 HDS%. That’s a massive difference.
Skinner has faced 14 high-danger shots, while Pickard has seen eight. Only one of those has gone by Pickard, while six (of 14) have blown past Skinner.
To make this divide seem even bigger, here’s another point. Only three goalies who have played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year have a better HDS% than Pickard, Jacob Markstrom (.962), Mackenzie Blackwood (.909), and Frederik Andersen (.889).
Coming up with big saves that help your team win and having one of the best high danger save percentages in the playoffs should be plenty good enough to get another nod in net
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