(Edmonton) Stuart Skinner has already been there.
Like any professional hockey player, the Edmonton Oilers goaltender has had more difficult times on the ice. Now he wants to draw on his experience as he fights to regain his form.
“I think going through these moments of adversity really helped me, especially with the situation I find myself in right now,” he said on Monday. Because I know I’ve been through this before, I’ve been in situations where maybe I didn’t feel like it was going the way I wanted it to. »
“It’s a position I’ve been in before and I’m very grateful for those experiences that allow me not to be completely overwhelmed,” added the goalkeeper, some 24 hours after being forced out of the match in a victory for 4-3 Vancouver Canucks.
Skinner gave up four goals on 15 shots and the Canucks took a 2-1 lead in this second-round series of the National Hockey League playoffs.
The errors were 90% attributable to the mental aspect, maintained the 25-year-old athlete.
“I think physically there are some small adjustments I can make. But to be completely honest, I don’t think [le problème soit] in the technical aspect. I think I have to find ways to make saves at the right times, and I haven’t been able to do that. »
The mystery remains whether Skinner will start Game 4 of the series, Tuesday in Edmonton.
Skinner has bounced back well this season, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch suggested, but the coaches will reveal their decision Tuesday morning.
“We have to make a decision, but I think both goalies can do the job,” Knoblauch said.
Skinner isn’t the only player the head coach is hoping to get a better contribution from. He used his stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for nearly 30 minutes on Sunday.
He knows that usage isn’t reasonable in the long term, but he admitted that it’s difficult to turn to the rest of the bench when his best players are producing and the team is falling behind.
Draisaitl has two goals and eight points in this series, while McDavid scored once and added four assists. Zach Hyman also contributed with two goals and an assist.
“It’s hard to have this temptation [de faire jouer contre McDavid et Draisaitl]. Hopefully the temptation will be alleviated with a two or three goal lead,” Knoblauch said.
“We have other players who have shown they can score. We have a lot of guys who can help us. Maybe not for just one game, but also throughout the playoffs we will need more contributions. »
Asked if he could continue to play 30 minutes per game, McDavid said he “felt really good.”
“At the end of the day, I go on the ice when coach asks me to and that’s what I’ll continue to do,” the Oilers captain said.