The Edmonton Oilers’ home opener was scarcely what the team had hoped for, and initially, the match exhibited signs of success for the Oilers on home ice. Still, the Calgary Flames turned the tables eventually to recover from a three-goal deficit and begin the season on a high note.
The Oilers looked poised, leading the game 3-0 midway through, but the Flames completely owned the second and third periods. Less than a few minutes after Leon Draisaitl’s 400th goal, Matvei Gridin scored his first NHL goal for the Flames, followed by Connor Zary’s power-play goal right before the second intermission. Eventually, Blake Coleman tied the game in less than a minute into the third period, forcing overtime.
Stuart Skinner Reflects on the Mistake that Led the Flames to Tie the Game
The Oilers have a lot to be proud of from their home opener. Yes, the team lost, but let us consider Andrew Mangiapane for a moment. The 29-year-old has played eight seasons with the Flames, and in his first home opener with the Oilers, the winger scored his first goal against Calgary.
The ever-dependable Ryan Nugent-Hopkins accumulated three points (one goal and two assists), Draisaitl scored one goal and one assist, and captain Connor McDavid scored two assists. However, goaltending woes have continued to plague the Oilers, and the scrutiny surrounding Stuart Skinner will undoubtedly intensify after the team’s defeat.
The tying goal by Blake Coleman that forced the game into overtime could be attributed to some miscommunication between Skinner and Evan Bouchard.
“Just 40 seconds into the final frame, a dump-in from Zary slowly made its way to Skinner inside the crease, where the netminder held onto the puck too long in some missed communication with Bouchard to allow Blake Coleman to come through and poke it under him to make it 3-3 in stunning fashion,” posted the Oilers on their official website following the defeat.
Skinner has addressed the issue, stating that even though he was slow to respond, he believes the situation is easily fixable. “It was miscommunication and I was slow to react. It was one bad decision and it makes you look really bad. I won’t be thinking about. That will probably be the easiest fix I make this year. Make a quick decision and throw it in the corner. Fixed,” Jason Gregor shared Skinner’s take on his X handle.
“It was miscommunication and I was slow to react. It was one bad decision and it makes you look really bad.
“I won’t be thinking about. That will probably be the easiest fix I make this year. Make a quick decision and throw it in the corner. Fixed,” Skinner on the tying goal.
— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) October 9, 2025
The Oilers’ goaltending struggles have been a persistent issue, and were one reason the team fell short of the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Stanley Cup upset, combined with the underwhelming start to the season, has already put Skinner at the receiving end of relentless and scathing criticism from the Oilers fan base.
