The Edmonton Oilers face the prospect of going down 3-0 after allowing 12 goals in losses to the Los Angeles Kings, but for a pivotal Game 3 on Friday at home, head coach Kris Knoblauch’s only lineup change will be between the pipes, as backup Calvin Pickard will make the start in place of Stuart Skinner.
Knoblauch is shaking up his line combinations and defensive pairings, such as moving Leon Draisaitl to the wing to play alongside Connor McDavid, but is not subbing in any different forwards or blueliners, which means that former Buffalo Sabre Jeff Skinner will be a healthy scratch for the second straight game. Skinner went -2 in Game 1 and had an assist in the 6-5 loss, but was taken out of the lineup in place of another ex-Sabre Evander Kane. The 32-year-old signed to a one-year, $3 million deal with Edmonton after the Sabres bought him out last June and scored 16 goals this season.
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Here is how some former Sabres did in the playoffs on Thursday:
Sam Reinhart (FLA) 0G, 1A, +2, 22:45 TOI, 1 SOG
Dmitri Kulikov (FLA) 17:00 TOI, 4 Hits
Evan Rodrigues (FLA) 11:26 TOI, 2 SOG
Zemgus Girgensons (TB) 9:42 TOI, 1 SOG
Florida takes a 2-0 lead with a 2-0 shutout in Tampa in Game 2. The game was highlighted by former Sabres draft pick Brandon Hagel getting a major and game misconduct for a hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. Hagel will have a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety. Barkov's status for Game 3 is undetermined.
Dylan Cozens (OTT) +1, 15:44 TOI, 3 SOG
Jake McCabe (TOR), 21:48 TOI, 1 SOG
The Maple Leafs took a commanding 3-0 lead over Ottawa in the Battle of Ontario with a 3-2 OT victory in Ottawa on Thursday when Simon Benoit's shot beat former Sabre Linus Ullmark.
Marcus Foligno (MIN) 1G, +1, 13:34 TOI, 4 SOG
Marcus Johansson (MIN) -1, 11:09 TOI
Zach Bogosian (MIN) 1 A, +1, 11:57 TOI
Jack Eichel (VGK) -2, 24:44 TOI, 3 SOG
Victor Olofsson (VGK) 10:37 TOI
Brayden McNabb (VGK) -1, 17:05 TOI
Minnesota takes a 2-1 lead in their series with Vegas with a 5-2 win, as Kirill Kaprizov scores a pair and Buffalo native Marcus Foligno scores his second goal of the playoffs.
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