Oilers to start Pickard in goal against Predators

Edmonton Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard is scored on by the Chicago Blackhawks during NHL action on Oct. 12, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)

Calvin Pickard will make his second start of the Edmonton Oilers' season Thursday night in Nashville.

The backup goaltender last received the call to man Edmonton's goal for a full 60 minutes on Saturday in a 5-2 home loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.

"It's a good chance to bounce back for me personally, not the start I wanted against Chicago, but you have to have a short-term memory in this league, and it's a great opportunity," Pickard told media Thursday after the Oilers' morning skate.

Thursday's 6 p.m. MT game against the Predators is the first of two on a short Edmonton road trip. The Oilers are scheduled to play the Stars in a Dallas matinee (2 p.m.)

"The first game wasn't his best, but we know that he knows how to respond, (he) had an outstanding season last year, and (he knows how to) just come and play in this game because we've got a lot of confidence in him," Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Thursday.

Both Pickard and Knoblauch commented on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's earlier discussion with media Thursday about the team's resiliency – "We don't quit on each other," Nugent-Hopkins said. "We (had) some adversity against Philly (in Tuesday's overtime Oilers win). Like most games, it's never smooth sailing" – something talked about often last season during the team's run to the Stanley Cup final after a poor start to the campaign.

Pickard said the 4-3 win over Philadelphia "was a big step for us."

"Things weren't going our way," he said, recalling the physical, come-from-behind performance.

"We're down 2-0 early in the game, and we just clawed our way back, didn't try to get back all at once, and had some good physical plays and a couple of fights to get us going emotionally, and got the win at the end."

Oilers' projected lineup

Forward

Leon Draisaitl • Connor McDavid • Zach Hyman

Vasily Podkolzin • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins • Viktor Arvidsson

Jeff Skinner • Adam Henrique • Connor Brown

Mattias Janmark • Derek Ryan • Corey Perry

Defence

Mattias Ekholm • Evan Bouchard

Darnell Nurse • Troy Stecher

Brett Kulak • Ty Emberson

Goal

Calvin Pickard • Stuart Skinner