Head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed the transfer after the morning skate.

“I believe he is made some large saves after we’ve wanted it, particularly within the second half of the sport,” he mentioned of the 33-year-old goalie. “I like that nothing’s fazed him and he is given us actually strong goaltending at key occasions.”

Pickard changed Stuart Skinner in purpose halfway by means of Sport 2, then backstopped the Oilers to wins in Video games 3 and 4 to tie the best-of-seven first-round sequence at 2-2. 

The six-foot-one, 206-pound netminder from Moncton, N.B., has a .889 save proportion with a 3.29 goals-against common throughout the three video games he is performed this post-season. 

Pickard was 22-10-1 in regular-season play by means of the 2024-25 marketing campaign with a .900 save proportion and a 2.71 goals-against common.

Skinner, 26, was Edmonton’s starter for a lot of the common season and put up a 26-18-4 file with a .896 save proportion, a 2.81 goals-against common and three shutouts. 

He gave up 11 objectives on 58 photographs throughout the primary two video games of the sequence. 

The Oilers head into Tuesday’s matchup averaging 4.75 objectives towards per recreation, the best among the many 16 playoff groups. The Kings are second at 4.50. 

The excessive purpose totals are more likely to dwindle because the sequence goes on, Knoblauch mentioned.

“It might be fairly exhausting to assume it might keep as excessive because it has been over these 4 video games,” he mentioned. “Particularly with two groups that take quite a lot of delight of their defensive play, in conserving the puck out. So I might think about that there will be some 1-0, 2-1 hockey video games in a while.”