'All-Star Stu' starts in goal, Kane is away as Oilers go for 7th straight victory
'All-Star Stu' starts in goal, Kane is away as Oilers go for 7th straight victory
It's a great time to be an Edmonton Oiler.
The team is on a long winning streak, their schedule is relatively easy, three players are headed to the upcoming All-Star Game and the rest are soon to have more than a week off to relax.
"A lot of us guys are having a lot of fun with each other. Having fun on the ice, the way we're practicing. We're practicing hard, but we're also enjoying it," goalie Stuart Skinner said with a smile.
He'll get the start between the pipes Wednesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Rogers Place.
The Oilers are gunning for their seventh-straight victory. Columbus is dead last in the NHL.
Skinner, still a rookie in the league, was chosen as an all-star last week. He's the first Oiler goalie to go since Tommy Salo made the team in 2002 and just the fifth in team history.
"I was kinda just shocked. I didn't really expect it and then all the guys kinda came and hugged me. Very exciting moment. It's something you watch growing up and you always wanted to be there. It's pretty cool," he said on Friday.
Skinner, who also just became a father and signed a three-year contract worth $7.8 million, said he plans to "enjoy the ocean" for a few days during All-Star Weekend in Florida.
As for the winning streak, he credited the Oilers for not taking any vacations during the past six victories.
"I think we're playing really hard in our defensive zone. We're blocking shots, we're boxing out guys, we're definitely getting in the dirty areas, we're winning battles in the corners," Skinner said.
"I think that's a huge part in us getting back into the offensive zone and just not getting scored on, which is also a huge part of winning games."
Head coach Jay Woodcroft said when he first met Skinner he thought he had the skills and size to be a "really good NHL goaltender" but didn't necessarily assume he'd be an all-star.
"I think along his journey, he really grew in other parts of his game, specifically on the mental side, the ability to handle a big workload, an ability to go through early adulthood while shouldering the huge responsibility of being a starting goaltender in the American Hockey League," Woodcroft said.
He pointed out that moving up the ranks wasn't always easy for Skinner.
The Edmonton-born goalie was sent down to the ECHL for some games, but Woodcroft watched him get better and convince his teammates to believe in him.
"I think it comes down to experience. I think he's went about methodically trying to build his game each and every year and it's a credit to him," Woodcroft said.
Forward Evander Kane will miss the game Wednesday for "personal reasons." He is attending court in San Jose as part of his bankruptcy case, according to Jason Gregor with TSN 1260.
Woodcroft said they expected Kane to be away from the team during this time.
The Oilers (27-18-3) face off against the Blue Jackets (14-30-3) shortly after 7:30 p.m. MT.
The last game Edmonton has before the All-Star Game on Feb. 4 is on Saturday against Chicago. The Blackhawks are just one point ahead of Columbus in the standings, sitting 31st.
The Oilers will return from the break with a roadtrip to Detroit, Philadelphia, Ottawa and Montreal starting Feb. 7.
As Joe Biden makes his first trip to Canada as president of the United States, CTVNews.ca is offering live coverage of the leader's visit. Follow our live blog on CTVNews.ca and the CTV News app for the latest updates.
U.S. President Joe Biden arrived on Parliament Hill saying that he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "have a lot to talk about," but that it's great to be in Canada.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
The United States' first lady was given a sweeping introduction to Canadian sports culture in Ottawa today as Sophie Gregoire Trudeau took Jill Biden to the curling rink.
W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water. Watch W5's 'Something in the Water' Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.
An Ontario couple has filed a request with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) to appoint a new police force to investigate the death of their 17-year-old son Benjamin, who died during a hockey team-bonding event in September 2019.
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
The Calgary Police Service confirms charges have been laid against a driver in connection with Thursday's crash of a semi-truck into the 32nd Avenue N.E. overpass along Deerfoot Trail.
An alleged victim of a former staff member of Legacy Christian Academy can now be identified after she successfully petitioned in court to have a publication ban lifted.
Many residents across Saskatchewan had a prominent view of the Aurora Borealis also known as the Northern Lights Thursday night and Friday morning and are sharing the pictures they captured with CTV News.
The Tim Houston PC government remains firm in their promise they'll fix the health-care system by spending more taxpayer money on health than any previous government before.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
Toronto Coun. Josh Matlow broke council’s code of conduct by criticizing two public employees on Twitter before retaliating against one of them after she filed a complaint, the city’s integrity commissioner has found.
With fares set to increase in a matter of days, a new report has found that Torontonians are already paying more than residents in most other cities for transit when compared to average incomes.
Canada and the United States are negotiating a deal that could see asylum seekers turned back at irregular border crossings across the border, including Roxham Road in Quebec.
For the first time, the owner of a building in Old Montreal has responded to questions about the fire — through his lawyer — addressing allegations that the building was unsafe.
U.S. President Joe Biden arrived on Parliament Hill saying that he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "have a lot to talk about," but that it's great to be in Canada.
The ‘Catch the Ace’ jackpot is still up for grabs in Hagersville. There was no winner Thursday night so the total prize money is now an estimated $1,526,067.
An uncommon phenomenon lit up the skies across southern Ontario on Thursday night, including in Waterloo region where the aurora borealis – also known as the northern lights - shone bright enough to see with the naked eye.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
Manitoba’s labour force is growing at a rate to supply enough workers for available positions into 2026, according to the province’s labour market outlook.
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
The City of Vancouver has asked a group of volunteers keeping vigil over a temporary residential school memorial at the Vancouver Art Gallery to remove the tribute.
U.S. President Joe Biden arrived on Parliament Hill saying that he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "have a lot to talk about," but that it's great to be in Canada.
The mother of a Victoria child who disappeared without a trace 32 years ago Friday says she believes her son is still alive. Michael Dunahee disappeared around 12:30 p.m. on March 24, 1991. The four-year-old boy was last seen on the playground at Blanshard School, his family a short distance away.
A first-of-its kind study in British Columbia suggests salmon hatcheries could improve survival rates by optimizing the weight of the juvenile fish and the timing of their release.
