Stuart Skinner makes timely saves to help the Oilers claw their way back into the Stanley Cup Final

Then he did it again on Friday night in Game 6 to send the series to a decisive Game 7.

When the Oilers needed him most, their mustachioed homegrown goaltender was there for them. Since he and the team were pushed to the brink and fell behind 3-0 in the series against the Florida Panthers, Skinner has stopped 81 of 86 shots and made timely saves at critical moments to keep the final going.

“He’s definitely stepped up,” said Alternate Captain Leon Draisaitl. “I think he played great for us, and we expect that to happen here as well. He’s one of those guys, one of those goalkeepers who shows up in big moments.”

Skinner is 10-0 these playoffs in Games 4-7 of a series. The only other goalies to win 10 or more times in these situations in a single postseason are Jordan Binnington in 2019, Corey Crawford in 2013 and Martin Brodeur in 2012, and his 1.50 goals-against average in Games 4-7 is the fourth best in the NHL. history.

Skinner’s resurgence is just the latest example of the 25-year-old’s response to adversity, including a turnover by him in Game 3 that contributed to a third straight loss. He is 9-5 with a 2.05 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage since returning to the net in the second round after being benched.

The Edmonton native, who to that point had some of the worst playoff stats at the position in the past two decades — an .881 save percentage in his first twenty games — has gotten better as the stakes have risen.

“It’s a byproduct of the experiences I go through and what I do with them,” Skinner said Thursday, about 18 hours before the puck dropped in Game 6 of the series in the city where he grew up. “It’s also a byproduct of how My team plays for me. These guys were nothing but supportive and played well on both ends of the ice. …

“It’s what you do when something comes your way, and whether it’s good or bad, it’s how you respond. And I think for myself, it’s just trying to give this team a chance to win every night.

Skinner did this after a hiccup in Game 3 because his play, considered one of the biggest unknowns before the series, wasn’t the reason Edmonton lost each of the first two of the finals in Florida.

But along with Connor McDavid producing at the other end of the rink at MVP-caliber levels, Skinner has been instrumental in the Oilers bouncing back with a comeback that hasn’t been done in a Cup Final since 1945.

“It starts with your best players: if your best players perform well, everyone else follows,” coach Kris Knoblauch said. “When you look across (the locker room) and you see Stuart Skinner playing as well as he is, and Connor McDavid having back-to-back four-point games, it gives your team a lot of confidence.”

There is no lack of confidence in Skinner, who also does not seem fazed by the high pressure. TV cameras caught him bumping his head to the music playing in the arena.

“Yes, sometimes you’ll definitely see me nodding to the music,” Skinner said. “Sometimes when I hear a tune that I can easily sympathize with, you can see me bobbing my head. It’s just enjoying where you are in the moment, having fun with it.”

AP NHL Playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL