Knoblauch makes changes to Oilers lineup before crucial Game 4 of Stanley Cup final

Joshua Clipperton · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 12, 2025 3:12 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

Kris Knoblauch is mixing things up for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final.

The Edmonton Oilers caput manager is acceptable to marque 2 lineup changes with his squad down 2-1 to the Florida Panthers successful the best-of-seven rubric series.

Troy Stecher volition regenerate John Klingberg connected the bluish line, portion Jeff Skinner enters the fray up beforehand for Viktor Arvidsson.

"We person a batch of bully players, a batch of bully players who had been successful and retired of the lineup," Knoblauch said pursuing his team's greeting skate. "Some players haven't adjacent seen immoderate crippled enactment truthful acold successful this series. Felt that we could usage the change, person those guys travel in, springiness america a boost.

"We've seen it passim the playoffs wherever we've made alterations to our lineup and it's benefitted us."

Knoblauch besides made changes to astir of his guardant lines defence pairings, including bumping Connor Brown up to play alongside Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

WATCH | Oilers fans successful Florida respond to blowout Game 3 loss: 

"A feline that's playing truly well, skates well," McDavid said. "Good with the puck, assured feline that tin play up and down your lineup."

Stuart Skinner volition get the commencement successful nett contempt allowing 5 goals successful each of his past 2 games — a 5-4 overtime decision and a 6-1 drubbing.

Stecher, meanwhile, is poised to reunite with Darnell Nurse connected the backmost extremity aft sitting retired Edmonton's past 4 games arsenic a steadfast scratch.

"Grateful to beryllium successful the presumption I'm in," said the undersized blueliner from Richmond, B.C. "I've been doubted a batch passim my vocation and been told 'no' a batch ... I'm inactive standing."

Jeff Skinner skated connected the 3rd enactment with Adam Henrique and Trent Frederic. Corey Perry moved to the 4th enactment with Vasily Podkolzin and Mattias Janmark. The 2nd enactment of Leon Draisaitl betwixt Evander Kane and Kasperi Kapanen was unchanged.

The tweaks successful defence saw Mattias Ekholm paired with Jake Walman, portion Brett Kulak was beside Evan Bouchard.

Nugent-Hopkins projects to formal aft missing Tuesday's signifier with an undisclosed injury.

Knoblauch said the determination to commencement Stuart Skinner alternatively of turning to Calvin Pickard is based connected the former's way record.

His numbers successful Game 4s were lights retired heading into Thursday with a 6-0 grounds to spell on with a 1.26 goals-against average, a .955 prevention percent and 2 shutouts.

"I've been truly impressed with however Stu has handled a batch of things," Knoblauch said.

"The adversity, whether that's regular season, playoffs. Things haven't ever gone smoothly, but he's been capable to enactment it retired and respond. Another 1 is conscionable however good he's played successful the 2nd fractional of series. That goes for each azygous bid past year, this year.

"There's assurance that here's a feline who's going to proceed to get amended arsenic the bid goes on. Hopefully we person a fewer much games that helium tin basal up and play truly well."