SUNRISE, Fla. — Goaltender Calvin Pickard hadn`t been called upon frequently until this moment.
The Oilers` backup netminder stepped in after a dismal opening frame on Thursday. The team`s poor performance in the first period left starting goalie Stuart Skinner exposed, resulting in a 3-0 deficit against the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Edmonton narrowed the gap to two goals early in the second period thanks to a power-play marker from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Shortly thereafter, and seemingly out of the blue, Pickard was tested and made a pivotal save that could be iconic if the Oilers ultimately win their sixth championship.
The seasoned goaltender thwarted Anton Lundell on a breakaway opportunity, which arose after defenseman Jake Walman committed a turnover. This preserved the 3-1 score. Pickard then delivered several other critical saves throughout the remainder of the game, setting the stage for Leon Draisaitl`s winning goal in overtime. Edmonton secured a 5-4 victory over Florida, leveling the best-of-seven championship series at 2-2.
Reflecting on the save against Lundell, Pickard stated, “`It makes you feel better. After that, things were quite steady. They had some chances, but so did we, and our determination was fantastic.`”
