Stuart Skinner under scrutiny before Penguins playoff game one after crucial decision by Dan Muse
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Stuart Skinner gets Dan Muse's Game 1 call, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are making their biggest crease decision before the series even opens.
Muse confirmed Saturday that Skinner will start the opener against the Philadelphia Flyers. That settles the question for now, even if it doesn't quiet the pressure around the spot.
This wasn't an easy choice. Pittsburgh didn't get clean, steady goaltending across the board during the season, so Muse had to pick the option he trusts most under playoff heat.
Skinner's numbers with the Penguins were shaky. He posted a 2.99 goals-against average and an .885 save percentage in 27 games after arriving from the Edmonton Oilers.
That alone doesn't scream safe choice. It tells you Muse is weighing more than the stat line as the Penguins get ready for a rivalry series.
The other part of the call is Skinner's playoff résumé. He has been through long springs before, and that matters when the building tightens up after the opening puck drop.
Dan Muse backs experience over a cleaner gamble: Skinner starts game one
Muse could have gone another way, but that would have come with its own risk. Arturs Silovs posted a 3.04 goals-against average and an .888 save percentage in 39 games with Pittsburgh.
So this looks like a coach choosing composure over a reach. Skinner has handled heavy moments before, and the Penguins are betting that background travels into Game 1.
That doesn't erase the doubts around him. Skinner also put up a 2.83 goals-against average and an .891 save percentage in 23 games with Edmonton before the midseason move.
Still, playoff starts aren't handed out for sentiment. Muse is looking for a goalie who won't get rattled if Philadelphia crashes the crease early or forces a messy first period.
That puts Skinner under the brightest light on the roster from the opening faceoff. Every rebound and every second-chance scramble will get judged in real time.
If he settles the game down, this decision will look sharp fast. Then the Penguins can focus on their bench play, their blue line gaps, and winning the special teams battle.
If he slips early, the noise around the crease gets louder in a hurry. That's why this call matters so much before the series has even played a shift.
The Penguins have made their read. Now Skinner has to justify it.
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