Oilers’ Stuart Skinner exits after getting bumped in crease versus Jets

Edmonton Oilers starting netminder Stuart Skinner left with 4:57 remaining in the third period of Thursday’s showdown versus the Winnipeg Jets after being bumped in the crease by Jets center Gabriel Vilardi.

At the time of Skinner’s exit, the Oilers and Jets were tied at three, while Skinner had turned aside 13 of 16 shots. The Jets ultimately prevailed in overtime with star left winger Kyle Connor scoring his team-leading 37th goal of the season. Oilers backup netminder Calvin Pickard stopped three of four shots in place of Skinner.

Of note, Skinner wasn’t the only member of the Oilers to leave Thursday’s game early as captain Connor McDavid exited late in the second period due to an apparent lower-body injury. The Oilers were also without leading scorer Leon Draisaitl who did not play Thursday due to an undisclosed ailment.

For Skinner, on the season the 26-year-old Edmonton native has made 47 appearances with the Oilers in which he has posted a 23-17-4 record coupled with an .896 save percentage, 2.85 goals-against average, and two shutouts.

Originally chosen by Edmonton in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft, Skinner has since spent part of five seasons with the Oilers in which he has compiled a 95-53-14 career record alongside a .906 save percentage, 2.73 goals-against average, and six shutouts. En route to last year’s Stanley Cup Final versus the Florida Panthers, Skinner won 14 games while recording a .901 save percentage, 2.45 goals-against average, and one shutout.

The extent of Skinner’s injury is not yet known. For Pickard, the 32-year-old native of Moncton, N.B., has seen 27 showings this season in which he has found the win column 17 times coupled with a .901 save percentage and 2.63 goals-against average.

Following Thursday’s overtime loss to the Jets, the Oilers stand 40-24-5 and one point back of the Vegas Golden Knights for top spot in the Pacific Division.