Oilers receive a picard thrust, the players who return from an injury to reach the second round against Vegas.

Edmonton, Alberta (AP)-Calvin Pickard, the only goalkeeper with a 4-0 record, is one of the surprises that emerges from the first round of NHL playoffs, and Edmonton Oilers fans are probably grateful for that.

The 33-year-old Pickard entered Skinner when the Oilers went back 2-0 in their series with the Los Angeles Kings. Edmonton won four directly to end the series at home on Thursday evening.

“It means a lot,” said Pickard. “If you come in game 3, you don't want to pursue any results. You just want to go out and do your job.”

Next comes a series of the second round against Vegas, who achieved a six-game victory against Minnesota. Edmonton and Vegas have divided their four meetings of the regular season. They last met in the post -season in 2023 when the Knights eliminated the Oilers in six games in the second round on the way to winning the Stanley Cup in the second round.

“For the series against Vegas there is a team that plays a completely different style than LA with their systems and the kind of staff you have,” said Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch. “We will give us a completely new challenge.”

The special teams of the Oilers, who are of crucial importance last year for the Stanley Cup final, attacked the Kings. Edmonton held the Kings on two goals for nine power play opportunities and went 6: 9 in the four wins to bring a few skaters back into the regular mix after injuries.

“There were many people who came in who weren't in the picture in the playoffs,” said the defenders of the Oilers, Darnell Nurse. “They could see some of the chemistry with the interlinking lines and boys. That came in the course of the series.”

The return of Evander Kane and defender John Klingberg in game 2 was crucial. Kane had two goals and a template in the series, but also offers garlic to use more freedom to use Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in a line.

“It will certainly help our team as Evander plays and we have many more options,” said Knoblauch.

McDavid and Draisaitl still had their fingerprints in the series when the captain taught two goals and nine templates, and the three goals from Draisaitl and seven templates included an overtime winner in game 4.

“You need everyone who feels good, and everyone should do it,” said McDavid. “We had different boys in the series at different times, and everyone should feel good and proud and be ready to carry this in another tough opponent.”

Pickard is ready to start if this is the decision.

“My assessment is that we have two really good goalkeepers in which we have trust,” said Knoblauch. “Both of them can go into the nets and we will see how they play. Because of what he did, we have a lot of trust in picks. He has won four games in a row, but if we have to change, we have a great second option.”

Pickard's career was played on a downway after 50 games for the Colorado Avalanche in 2016-17. In the next six seasons he only started 19 games for Toronto, Philadelphia, Arizona and Detroit, but spent most of these years in the minors.

When he signed with the Oilers in 2022, he spent the AHL with the Bakersfield condors this season.

“I never stopped believing in myself,” said Pickard. “If you don't believe in yourself, you won't be successful. I have played a good hockey in those years since I played 50 games in Colorado. I have always built this game and this self -confidence to return to this level.”

Pickard went 1-1 in the first playoff starts of his career. He replaced Skinner for a few games in the second round last year against the Vancouver Canucks.

“I was never doubtful to throw it in because we tore off the band Aid last year,” said Knoblauch. “Put it in a very stressful, almost a must against Vancouver and he reacted enormously and gave us a lot of confidence. This year it was much easier to give him the network.”

Pickards 31 starts this season have been with Colorado since last season. His record was 22-10-1 with a percentage of 0.900 and an average gate of 2.71. He started eight of Edmonton's last 11 games of the regular season after Skinner was injured on March 26.

“It was good to get into a rhythm towards the end of the season. I played really good hockey. It was probably my best hockey of the year when I went to playoffs,” he said. “I was ready when I was called and I was called pretty early. I just want to continue.”