Stuart Skinner started the playoffs with a hit streak of losses. However, since stumbling in front of the goal for his return game against the Vegas Golden Knights, Skinner has regained the fans’ trust. The Edmonton Oilers goaltender has won four of his last five games, with three being shutouts. Now, even his fellow goalie is backing the 26-year-old in the conference finals.

On May 26, Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard finally skated onto the ice. The 33-year-old had originally replaced Skinner after his poor initial run and remained undefeated in 6 games before getting injured. “Calvin Pickard was back on the ice with Oilers teammates this morning. He said he got hurt in the Tomas Hertl collision and knew it was bad but was running on adrenaline to finish the game,” posted The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman.

Another by Oilers TV host Tony Brar showed Pickard moving freely on the ice without any signs of discomfort. Yet, the biggest part of Pickard’s update was that the goalie backed Stuart Skinner to be in front of the net for Game 4. “He hopes to backup Stuart Skinner in tomorrow’s Game 4,” the Edmonton Oilers reporter added in his post.

The Edmonton Oilers’ head coach spoke to reporters on Monday and said Pickard’s return to the lineup is not final. However, Kris Knoblauch did not rule out the possibility either. “There is a ‘good possibility’ that Calvin Pickard will dress & back up tomorrow,” Brar quoted Knoblauch.

Whether Pickard returns for Game 4 or not, the fact that he’s back on the ice is good news for the Oilers. The Oilers’ goalie’s injury looked especially painful as Hertl fell on Pickard’s leg during Game 2 inside T-Mobile Arena. Thankfully, the goaltender’s recovery wasn’t the only good news for the Oilers.

The Edmonton Oilers could get another star back

The Oilers have shown incredible resilience in the playoffs. They posted six comeback victories and have constantly improved as a team, now finding themselves firmly in the lead in the conference finals. However, injuries have been a constant companion for the NHL squad. Calvin Picard’s injury in Game 2 against LA was only one of them.

Mattias Ekholm is another Oilers star who has found himself on the wrong side of the boards since April. The defenseman has been out due to an undisclosed lower-body injury and has missed the entirety of the playoffs so far. But guess what? The 35-year-old also practiced alongside Calvin Pickard on Monday. Naturally, Ekholm’s availability for Game 4 also needed addressing.

“I’m happy with my body & the way I feel. Really excited about where the team’s at & how they’re playing,” said Ekholm. However, as far as the team’s verdict on his availability for Game 4 is concerned, Tony Brar reported that it still remains “undecided” and that it is “Day-to-day”. But while there is hope for Ekholm, not every update from the Oilers’ presser was good. The head coach also spoke about Connor Brown’s status and didn’t have great news for the fans. The 46-year-old explained the winger won’t show up for Game 4.

Brown left Game 3 in the second period after a big hit by Alexander Petrovic. He didn’t return, and now the coach’s statement certainly doesn’t inspire confidence. With five goals and three assists in 14 playoff games, Connor Brown has been a key offensive force for the Edmonton Oilers.