EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) 鈥� The play of goaltender Stuart Skinner for the Edmonton Oilers the Stanley Cup Final.
Through two games, Skinner has done his job and is not the reason his team 2-0. The onus is on his teammates to get the job done at the other end of the rink against in Game 3 on Thursday night as to Alberta.
鈥淗e鈥檚 been great," said Wednesday. 鈥淗e鈥檚 given us a chance both nights, and that鈥檚 all you can ask of your goalie.鈥�
Skinner has stopped 40 of the 45 shots he has faced, and the goals he has allowed have largely come off turnovers and mistakes made by defenders in front of him. In the locker room following practice in Edmonton, the 25-year-old hometown boy was as relaxed as he has been at any point in the final.
鈥淎nything that comes his way, any adversity rolls off his back pretty easily. He handles it really well,鈥� said. 鈥�(Like) our team, just putting the past behind us and thinking about our next shift or our next game or next play, I think Stu鈥檚 done a really good job with that.鈥�
Skinner has not heard the praise showered on him by Wayne Gretzky during an intermission appearance on the Oilers radio broadcast during Game 2. That is intentional.
鈥淚n the situation that I鈥檓 in right now, I鈥檓 not putting on the TV,鈥� Skinner said. "Just Mario Kart.鈥�
Skinner has used meditation and reading books to get away from hockey, and experience has allowed him to handle booing and criticism better than earlier in his career. That lets him just do his job in net.
鈥淥nce the puck drops and you start playing hockey, it鈥檚 the same game I鈥檝e been playing for years and years and years," Skinner said.
One thing Skinner cannot do is score goals, and Edmonton has just one through two games. Getting the power play going after an 0 for 7 start to the series is one thing, but after just one high-danger chance in Game 2, the Oilers are specifically focused on generating opportunities and scoring at even strength on Bobrovsky.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to get more volume there,鈥� said Mattias Ekholm, who has Edmonton's only goal in the final. "Especially for us D-men, it鈥檚 maybe not so much about my shot from the blue line. It鈥檚 more about maybe that second opportunity, having guys around the net and go from there. I know offense hasn鈥檛 been a problem since I got here with this group, so I鈥檓 not too worried about it.鈥�
Late Panthers departure
Opting to spend an extra night in their own beds and skate at their practice facility in Fort Lauderdale before flying, the Panthers were delayed by storms in South Florida. Their flight scheduled to take off at 1 p.m. EDT did not get off the ground until nearly 4:30, putting them on track to land at Edmonton International Airport after 8 local time.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 like the idea of getting them up (Tuesday) early enough to get in at a reasonable time in Edmonton,鈥� coach Paul Maurice said. 鈥淲e did not see a value in it.鈥�
Nurse good to go
The Oilers played much of Game 2 without defenseman Darnell Nurse, who was injured on a hit midway through the first period by Evan Rodrigues. Nurse skated just one shift in the second and two in the third, then didn't practice Wednesday.
Despite that, and based on the defense pairings in practice, the team is planning to have Nurse available for Game 3.
鈥淒arnell, we haven鈥檛 considered much of not having him for our next game,鈥� Knoblauch said. 鈥淲ith medical treatment he got, he was able to play a little bit at the end of the game. With the time off and everything we need to do, I have no issues he鈥檒l be ready to play.鈥�
Knoblauch also expects veteran winger Corey Perry back in after being a healthy scratch on Monday night. It's possible he replaces Evander Kane, who has been playing through a sports hernia and has just one point in nine games.
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AP NHL playoffs: and
Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
