The Edmonton Oilers appear to be finding their stride at the right time. Sitting second in the Pacific Division with a 25-17-8 record, the Oilers are coming off back-to-back shutout wins and, perhaps most importantly, finally look settled in goal.
Since trading Stuart Skinner last month, Edmonton’s new goaltending tandem of Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram is now delivering results.
Edmonton Oilers’ Goaltending Gamble Paying Off With Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram
Skinner got off to a rough start this season. He finished with an .891 save percentage as the Oilers fell to the bottom of the standings. In search of more stability, Edmonton made a bold decision, trading Skinner to Pittsburgh for Tristan Jarry.
Jarry made an immediate impression in Edmonton. He won his first three starts with the team. That momentum was slowed, however, when he suffered a lower-body injury during a December 18 win over Boston, forcing him onto injured reserve and paving the way for Connor Ingram to be recalled from Bakersfield.
Ingram rose to the challenge. He posted a 5-3-1 record with a strong 2.22 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage, providing steady play when the Oilers needed it most.
Now back to full health, Jarry has seamlessly picked up where he left off. In his first two starts since returning, he now has a 4-0-1 with the Oilers. He posted a 2.58 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage.
The goaltending tandem also made a loud statement over the weekend. As Ingram stopped 27 shots in a 5-0 shutout of the Blues on Sunday, while Jarry followed up by turning aside 31 shots in a 6-0 blanking of the Canucks on Saturday.
The performances also put the Oilers in the history books. Edmonton recorded back-to-back shutouts by margins of five or more goals for the first time in franchise history. It achieved shutouts on consecutive days for just the second time ever, a feat last accomplished in December 2002.
Calvin Pickard has also contributed solid performances when called upon, rounding out what is suddenly a much deeper and more reliable goaltending picture.
Early skepticism followed the Skinner trade, especially after Jarry’s injury and Ingram’s recall from the AHL, but things now appear to be falling into place.
NHL analyst Ryan Rishaug recently praised Edmonton’s goaltending turnaround. “Ingram, in the big picture, he’s been so good. Tristan Jarry comes back from injury and has been really good since returning. So, I think you start with a higher level of goaltending,” Rishaug said.
For the Oilers, the combination of improved goaltending and tighter team defense is paying off in a big way.
