SUNRISE, Fla. — Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner was benched after the first period of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final following a three-goal barrage by the Florida Panthers on Thursday night.

Backup Calvin Pickard entered the game to start the second period. Skinner was relieved after giving up three goals on 17 shots in the first period, including two power-play goals to Matthew Tkachuk. The Panthers led 3-0 after the first period, but the Oilers stormed back to tie the score at 3-3 after two.

Florida leads the Stanley Cup Final 2-1.

It was the second straight game Skinner was pulled. He lasted 43:27 in the Oilers’ 6-1 loss in Game 3, in which he gave up five goals on 23 shots. Pickard entered on Monday night and stopped seven of eight shots.

Overall in the Stanley Cup Final, Skinner has given up nine goals in the first period. He was 7-6 with a .894 save percentage and a 2.84 goals-against average in the playoffs entering Game 4.

Skinner said before Game 4 that he wasn’t concerned about Pickard potentially getting the start for Edmonton, despite the Oilers being noncommittal about a starter until Thursday morning.

“I felt like I was going to be in,” Skinner said. “I don’t really see too much reason to panic quite yet. We lost two in a row. I’m good in these situations. I know how to bounce back.”

The removal of Skinner in Game 4 was particularly jarring because of his previous playoff success after the third game of a series. Skinner was 6-0 lifetime in Game 4 of a playoff series, with a 1.26 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage, including two shutouts. In games 4-7 in a playoff series, Skinner was 17-3 with a .922 save percentage during his career.

That pedigree is why Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch decided to stick with him after he was pulled in Game 3.

“It’s just how well he’s played in the second half of a series,” Knoblauch said. “That goes for every single series this year and last year. Here’s a guy that’s going to just continue to get better as this series goes on. Hopefully we’ve got a few more games where he can stand up and play really well.”