Pickard to start Game 5 of Stanley Cup Final for Oilers 

Calvin Pickard will start in goal for the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX).

Pickard was in the starter's net at the morning skate, one day after coach Kris Knoblauch wasn't ready to reveal his starting goalie. Knoblauch confirmed Pickard is his starter after the morning skate.

Stuart Skinner started Game 4 but was pulled after allowing three goals on 17 shots in the first period. Pickard came in relief, saving 22 of 23 shots for the Oilers, who came back from that 3-0 deficit to defeat the Panthers 5-4 in overtime.

The best-of-7 series is tied 2-2.

Pickard became the fourth different goalie in Oilers history to win seven straight games in the postseason, joining Grant Fuhr (9-0 in 1985; 8-0 in 1988), Bill Ranford (8-0 in 1990) and Dwayne Roloson (7-0 in 2006). He has a 2.69 goals-against average and an .896 save percentage in nine games (seven starts).

Pickard also came in late in Game 3, a 6-1 win for the Panthers, making seven of eight saves.

Prior to relief work in Game 3, he hadn't played since May 8 when he made 28 of 32 saves in a 5-4 overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of the Western Conference Second Round. But he sustained a lower-body injury in that game and Skinner took over.

Skinner is 7-6 with a 2.99 GAA, an .891 save percentage and three shutouts in 14 starts.

Skinner was 6-0 with a 0.83 GAA, .970 save percentage and two shutouts in his previous six Game 4s entering Thursday. He was the Oilers' best player in what was a bad first period for them.

"Both goalies have been really good and key for us to getting here," Knoblauch said. "Stu, since [Pickard's] injury came in and played some really good games, the Vegas series, Dallas series, and anytime we haven't been strong in front of him it's unfortunate, like last night in the first period. We weren't at our best and it puts the goalie in a vulnerable position. As a coach, we make that switch and 'Picks' comes in and makes some huge, huge saves. It's nice we've got a nice tandem, that they're going back and forth, and each one has been really solid for us."

The Oilers were impressed with how well Pickard responded, especially in overtime. Panthers forward Sam Bennett had a great opportunity to win it for Florida at 6:48 of overtime, but the shot went off Pickard's glove, hit the crossbar and stayed out.

"I mean, that one in overtime, I lost the battle on the wall and it's a 2-on-1 in front and we could be talking about something different right now," Oilers forward Corey Perry said. "So, you have to give a lot of credit to him, coming in the way he did after the first period, down 3-0 in the situation that we were in. He backstopped us."