"Panthers gonna lift tonight" "It’s over": NHL fans react as Oilers pick Stuart Skinner as starting goalie for must-win Stanley Cup Finals Game 6

The Edmonton Oilers have gone back and forth with goalkeepers in the Stanley Cup Finals, beginning with usual starter Stuart Skinner. He was eventually taken out for Calvin Pickard, and then they've been swapped since.

Pickard replaced Skinner in the net after one period in Game 4, and it spurred a huge comeback win for Edmonton to save the series. He then started Game 5 and yielded four goals on 18 shots.

Tonight, in a do-or-die Game 6, the Oilers are going with Skinner once again against the Florida Panthers. He's allowed 16 goals in four games on the ice, and fans reacted to his starting nod. Most are disappointed and feel that Florida now has it in the bag.

"No surprise lol imagine if they had a good goalie," one said.

"Hope [Connor] McDavid has his Cancun villa booked for this weekend," another added.

A few NHL fans disagreed, though, saying that Skinner could come through for Edmonton tonight.

"This makes the most sense Pickard played bad last game and the only reason Skinner got pulled the game before was because the whole team was doing nothing," one chimed in.

"Stu will prevail for the Oilers tonight," another said.

The Oilers will presumably go to the bench again if Skinner is unable to keep the aggressive Panthers out of the net. It worked in Game 4, and they'd have no other recourse in a must-win game.

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Former goalie makes the case for Stuart Skinner

Stuart Skinner has been much-maligned by fans, the media, and the Florida Panthers. He's struggled, but he's getting the nod in the most important game of the season.

Stuart Skinner is starting tonight (Imagn)

Former NHL goalie turned analyst Cory Schneider said Monday, via The Athletic, before the decision was made:

“If you’re the coach and your season’s on the line, you have to go with the guy you trust the most. To me, that’s Stuart Skinner. He was the starter all year. He got them to Game 7 (of the Final) last year.”

He added:

“His ceiling, his upside, his big-game experience that he’s gotten the last couple of years trump everything else."

It certainly seems as if head coach Kris Knoblauch agrees with Schneider's sentiment.