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EDMONTON, Alberta — The Edmonton Oilers will start Calvin Pickard in net for Game 4 of their playoff series with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

The 32-year-old journeyman netminder replaces Stuart Skinner, who was pulled in the third period of Edmonton’s 4-3 loss to Vancouver on Sunday after giving up four goals on 15 shots.

Edmonton trails Vancouver 2-1 in the best-of-seven second-round playoff series.

“I’m expecting what I’ve seen from Calvin all season — a goaltender who’s competed very hard, played very well for us and piled up a lot of victories,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said of the change.

“It’s not an ideal situation, he hasn’t been playing for a long time. But he’s gone long stretches without playing and I think the team has a lot of confidence in Calvin when he has played. And he’s going to be our guy.”

Pickard is making his first start in the NHL playoffs after making 20 appearances for the Oilers in the regular season. He went 12-7-1 with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.

“It’s exciting, obviously. All you can ask for is an opportunity in the Stanley Cup playoffs,” Pickard said after the morning skate Tuesday. “I felt like I had a good season and the preparation’s done. I’m excited to get out there.”

Pickard signed with the Oilers as a free agent in July 2022 and has spent much of his tenure with the organization playing for the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League.

Pickard said making it to a playoff start hasn’t been easy.

“I know I can play at this level and this year I proved it to myself and everybody around me,” he said. “It’s a really good opportunity for me tonight and I feel like I’m ready.”

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NHLPA appeals Hartman’s 10-game suspension

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NHLPA appeals Hartman's 10-game suspension

NEW YORK — The NHL Players’ Association said Wednesday it has filed an appeal on Ryan Hartman‘s behalf after the Minnesota Wild forward was suspended for 10 games for roughing.

Hartman had 48 hours from the league’s ruling Monday night to decide whether to appeal the ban for slamming an opponent’s head to the ice with his right forearm, the longest for on-ice conduct in more than six years.

The initial appeal goes to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who has regularly sided with the Department of Player Safety and disciplinary decisions made by its vice president, George Parros. If Bettman upholds the suspension, Hartman has the right to appeal to a neutral arbitrator.

Hartman is forfeiting $487,805 in salary as part of his fifth career suspension and fourth since 2023. He would get more than $48,000 back for each game it is reduced by, if at all.

Washington‘s Tom Wilson recouped six games worth of salary when his 2018 suspension was reduced from 20 to 14 on appeal to an arbitrator jointly appointed by the league and union, even though he had already served 16.

Hartman, 30, was initially ejected with a match penalty for roughing Ottawa‘s Tim Stutzle late in the second period of the teams’ game Saturday night.

“Hartman contends that he is attempting to use his hand to regain his balance, using Stutzle for support and that their fall to the ice is accidental. We disagree,” Player Safety said in a video announcing the suspension. “With Stutzle bent low and focused on winning the draw, Hartman chooses to take advantage of a vulnerable player in an unacceptable fashion. Hartman intentionally uses his forearm and body weight to drive Stutzle’s head directly into the ice from a height, which makes this play inherently dangerous and unacceptable.”

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Crosby being evaluated for upper-body injury

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Crosby being evaluated for upper-body injury

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is being evaluated for an upper-body injury.

Crosby did not practice Wednesday, less than 24 hours after he got caught between a pair of New Jersey Devils in the third period of what became a 3-2 shootout loss.

The Penguins superstar missed several shifts in the third period after colliding with New Jersey’s Luke Hughes and Erik Haula. Crosby skated to the bench favoring his left arm/hand but returned after being examined in the locker room.

Crosby played the final minutes of regulation and overtime. He also participated in the shootout. Asked afterward about the injury, Crosby said he simply got “tangled up” and did not get into specifics.

Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan did not speculate on whether Crosby would miss any time, saying “let’s not get ahead of ourselves” when asked whether there’s a chance the team could be forced to play without Crosby.

The Penguins play the New York Rangers on Friday and the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday before the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Crosby, 37, is slated to serve as captain for Team Canada in the tournament.

The Canadians open play against Sweden on Feb. 12 in Montreal.

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Blackhawks activate forward Smith (back) off IR

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Blackhawks activate forward Smith (back) off IR

CHICAGO — The Blackhawks activated forward Craig Smith from injured reserve before Wednesday night’s game against Edmonton.

Smith had been sidelined by a nagging back injury. He was in the lineup against the Oilers, playing on a line with Lukas Reichel and Pat Maroon.

The 35-year-old Smith has six goals and five assists in 30 games in his first season with Chicago.

The Blackhawks also assigned defenseman Artyom Levshunov and forward Colton Dach to Rockford of the American Hockey League.

The 19-year-old Levshunov was brought up on Monday to give him a chance to practice with the team during the AHL’s All-Star break. The IceHogs’ next game is Friday night at Texas.

Levshunov was the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s NHL draft. He missed the start of the season because of a fractured right foot.

“We’ve had two good, spirited practices with a lot of pace and compete and that was a good learning experience for him to see,” interim Blackhawks coach Anders Sorensen said. “Talking to him, he was kind of baffled how quick it was at times but that’s good. That’s how you realize where you need to be.”

The 22-year-old Dach made his NHL debut on Jan. 3 against Montreal. The 6-foot-4 forward, a second-round pick in the 2021 draft, had one goal and three assists in 13 games with Chicago.

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