The Edmonton Oilers made quite a statement in Game 1 against the Florida Panthers. They didn’t just become the first Canadian team to earn a series win lead in the Stanley Cup Final since 2011, but also broke another longstanding record. Goalie Stuart Skinner played a huge role in helping break Maurice’s 31-0 win streak “when holding a lead at the end of the first or second period in #StanleyCup Playoffs games.” 

Unfortunately for the Oilers, things didn’t go so well in Games 2 and 3. After losing a competitive Game 2 in overtime, the Cats thrashed the challengers 6-1 in Game 3 at Amerant Bank Arena. What’s more? The Oilers’ starting goaltender, Stuart Skinner, was visibly sweating during media availability ahead of the crucial fourth game. With a 6-0 undefeated streak when it comes to Game 4s in the NHL playoffs, many wondered if Skinner was just nervous.

Fortunately, the Edmonton goaltender shut down those worries with a hilarious response. It turned out that the sweating was nothing more than the Canadian goalie having a hard time handling the Florida heat. “Oh man! I mean, it’s just the Florida humidity,” confessed Stuart Skinner, making everyone laugh. He explained that even taking a shower didn’t help.

“Yeah, I showered, and I was feeling pretty good, and I walked in here and it’s just I’m leaking,” revealed the Edmonton Oilers’ goalie. Yet, jokes aside, this isn’t the first instance of the Florida heat messing with the Oilers. While the teams didn’t complain about it, analysts such as TSN’s Pierre LeBrun noticed the Florida humidity affecting the rink itself.

“The conditions inside the Panther’s Puck bouncing around like a hot potato on the ice here tonight,” LeBrun posted during Game 3 in Florida. The culprit? Sunshine, Florida’s immense humidity. “Nothing you can do to make great ice in mid-June in Florida. Humidity (is) through the roof all day here today,” added LeBrun. That being said, Stuart Skinner had an interesting night.

Stuart Skinner technically preserved his record

Game 4 got off to a depressing start for the Edmonton Oilers, as the Florida Panthers repeatedly got the better of them in the first period. The Edmonton Oilers resorted to their Game 3 mistakes as they started giving away penalties against the Cats. In fact, Evander Kane’s high-sticking of A.J. Greer earned Florida their first power play, which led to the first goal.

Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov teamed up to put the Panthers on the board. The distal defending contained as Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe beat Stuart Skinner to extend that lead to 3-0. However, this time, coach Kris Knoblauch didn’t take any risks and pulled Skinner from the game. After all, it was far too late for the Oilers when he pulled the goaltender after conceding 5 goals.

And that was the end of the 26-year-old trying to defend his Game 4 record. Calvin Pickard replaced Skinner as Knoblauch tried to shake things up, going into the third period with a three-goal deficit, and it paid off big time. The Oilers put on their comeback caps and delivered the Panthers’ lead in with time to spare in the second period.

Yet, the momentum had swung the Oilers’ way as Leon Draisaitl ended the contest in OT, thus helping Stuart Skinner keep his Game 4 streak intact. While this isn’t how the 26-year-old may have envisioned retaining his record, it’s as they say: A win is a win.