SUNRISE, Fla. -- Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner was benched after the first period of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final after a three-goal barrage by the Florida Panthers on Thursday night.
Backup Calvin Pickard entered the game to start the second period and stopped 22 of 23 shots to lead the Oilers to a 5-4 overtime win that tied the Stanley Cup Final at 2-2.
Skinner was relieved after giving up three goals on 17 shots in the first period, including two power-play tallies to Matthew Tkachuk.
"Unfortunate for Stu to be pulled there. Didn't give him many opportunities," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. "We needed to change things up, and the change was great the way he played."
Knoblauch did not say who would start in Game 5, but Pickard was already looking ahead to playing again when the series moves back to Edmonton.
"There's no playoff environment like it," Pickard said. "The fans are crazy, cheering for everything. I can't wait and get home and play in front of them on Saturday."
Thursday marked the second straight game Skinner was pulled. He lasted 43:27 in the Oilers' 6-1 loss Monday night in Game 3, in which he gave up five goals on 23 shots. Pickard entered that night and stopped seven of eight shots.
"I felt for him today," Pickard said of Skinner after Thursday's win. "He came ready to play today, made some big saves early. We just didn't have it as a team early."
In the Stanley Cup Final, Skinner has given up nine goals in the first period. He was 7-6 with an .894 save percentage and a 2.84 goals-against average in the playoffs entering Game 4.
Skinner said before Game 4 that he wasn't concerned about Pickard potentially getting the start for Edmonton, despite the Oilers being noncommittal about a starter until Thursday morning.
"I felt like I was going to be in," Skinner said. "I don't really see too much reason to panic quite yet. We lost two in a row. I'm good in these situations. I know how to bounce back."
The removal of Skinner in Game 4 was particularly jarring because of his previous playoff success after the third game of a series. Skinner was 6-0 lifetime in Game 4 of a playoff series, with a 1.26 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage, including two shutouts. In games 4-7 in a playoff series, Skinner was 17-3 with a .922 save percentage during his career.
That success is why Knoblauch stuck with him after he was pulled in Game 3.
"It's just how well he's played in the second half of a series," Knoblauch said. "That goes for every single series this year and last year. Here's a guy that's going to just continue to get better as this series goes on. Hopefully, we've got a few more games where he can stand up and play really well."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.