The New York Rangers have now faced an uncomfortable absence of victories at Madison Square Garden. The Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and Edmonton Oilers secured three shutout victories against the Rangers early this season. The Oilers, bracing to face the New York Islanders soon, have won two of their three games.
The shutout win against the Rangers provided Edmonton enough motivation that they are now expected to carry it against the Islanders. However, more importantly, after facing immense backlash due to his abysmal Stanley Cup showing and an underwhelming season opener against the Calgary Flames, goalie Stuart Skinner can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
What did Stuart Skinner Say About the Oilers’ 3-0 Win vs. the Rangers?
Recent memory of Skinner’s performance as a netminder has tightened the scrutiny around him. The 26-year-old’s disappointing performance in the crucial postseason games against the Florida Panthers resulted in the Oilers fanbase asking for a new goalie unequivocally. People once alleged that Captain Connor McDavid might abandon the Oilers someday because of Skinner’s dismal netminding abilities.
The 2025-26 season for the Oilers began with a 4-3 defeat when the Flames emerged victorious in turning the game around in their favor. A miscommunication between Skinner and Evan Bouchard was instrumental in the Flames securing a score against Edmonton. Consequently, the goaltender had to withstand relentless criticism from fans once again.
The shutout victory against the Rangers is finally some redemption for Skinner. It may help the Oilers fanbase regain their faith in the goalie’s abilities, enabling them to reach the playoffs and, hopefully, lift the Stanley Cup. However, despite the massive success in Madison Square, the 26-year-old remains humble and, in a recent media availability, had nothing but praise to share for the Rangers.
By virtue of his goalie wisdom, Skinner was asked if he realized that a team was tense, mainly because it was consistently failing to produce. He replied, “Stu, this team has now been shut out three straight games in the building. I mean, I am sure you knew that going in, but when a team that’s struggling to score, can you tell as a goalie if they are gripping their sticks a little bit too tight?”
On the other hand, Skinner stated that the Rangers were as good as they came and that the shutout was only possible because of the Oilers’ collective effort. “I don’t think looking at them, I wouldn’t imagine you are saying they are snake-bitten. I mean, maybe they are snake-bitten, but they made some amazing plays, they got some really good chances. I don’t know how the other two games went, but for this game, just the way we played all together, all the six guys on the ice, just really helped keep the puck out of the net.”
Despite the Oilers fanbase’s many complaints about Skinner’s past performances, his admiration for a rival team bears testimony to his remarkable character.
