"Stuart Skinner, you are going to China" - Edmonton Oilers fans want goalie gone after horror show in Game 6 against Golden Knights

Calder Trophy nominee Stuart Skinner has come under fire from the Edmonton Oilers fans following their elimination in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Sunday.

Skinner conceded four goals from 17 shots in Edmonton Oilers' 5-2 defeat against the Vegas Golden Knights. Coach Jay Woodcroft pulled Skinner for the third time in the series and the netminding responsibilities for the Oilers were taken by Jack Campbell.

The 24-year-old rookie goaltender ended the contest with 13 saves and posted a .765 save percentage on the night.

Some of the Oilers fans were disappointed with the level shown by Skinner in the game and took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

Skinner had an outstanding regular season. He appeared in 50 games and had a 29-14-5 record with a 2.75 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. However, as the 2023 playoffs began, the Oilers goalie's stats dropped significantly.

The 24-year-old finished his postseason campaign with a 5-6 record, a 3.68 goals-against-average, and a .883 save percentage.

Skinner cannot be held entirely responsible for the Oilers' defeat though. The Edmonton Oilers' lack of depth on the blue line was one of the major reasons for their playoff failure. When it came to offense, the team relied largely on powerplay goals. More than 46% of their goals came on powerplays.

Stuart Skinner accepts blame

Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl gave an emotional post-game interview following their playoff exit, blaming himself for the team's loss on Sunday. Skinner, too, did not hesitate to accept some of the blame for the defeat.

Stuart Skinner was the 78th overall pick for the Edmonton Oilers in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft.

In the 2022-23 season, he stepped up as a backup to Jack Campbell after Mike Smith was placed on long-term injured reserve and Mikko Koskinen signed with a Swiss team.

Skinner quickly proved himself, leading rookie goalies in wins and games played while also ranking highly in save percentage and goals-against average.

Skinner's impressive performances earned him a three-year contract extension and a spot in the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend. He also became a finalist for the Calder Trophy.

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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