Oilers yet to announce starting goalie for Game 6 of Western 2nd Round

LAS VEGAS --Stuart Skinner has been strong following losses during the Western Conference Second Round, allowing two goals on 57 shots in two wins for the Edmonton Oilers.

It's possible, if not likely, that Skinner's bounce-back ability will be enough for the rookie goalie to get his 12th straight start in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in a must-win Game 6 against the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Sunday (10 p.m. ET; ESPN, CBC, SN, TVAS).

But Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft left the debate wide open Saturday when asked whether Skinner or Jack Campbell will start Game 6.

"I'm going to reserve the right to take the time that we have before we have to make that decision," Woodcroft said.

RELATED: [Complete Golden Knights vs. Oilers series coverage]

Skinner allowed four goals on 22 shots, three on five shots in a span of 89 seconds in the second period of a 4-3 loss in Game 5 at T-Mobile Arena on Friday that gave the Golden Knights a 3-2 in the best-of-7 series. He was pulled after the fourth goal, a shot from the left point by Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hague at 15:34 that made it 4-2.

Campbell didn't allow a goal on nine shots he faced in relief.

It was the second time this series and third in the playoffs that Skinner has been pulled. He was replaced in the second period of Game 3 after allowing four goals on 23 shots. Campbell stopped nine of 10 shots in a 5-1 loss.

Skinner, and for that matter the Oilers in general, responded in Game 4 with 25 saves in a 4-1 win. He also had a big response in Game 2, when he made 30 saves in a 5-1 victory after he allowed five goals on 33 shots in Game 1, a 6-4 loss.

Woodcroft said he thinks Skinner has acquitted himself well in the series and given Edmonton a chance to win.

"I've pulled him a couple times but in those pulls that was more to either stem the tide of momentum or to try to change something up," Woodcroft said. "Those are on the team, they're not on one individual. For us, we're in the position we're in because of the people we have in the locker room, and we believe the solutions to what we're trying to get done here, the answers are in the locker room."

Could Campbell be one of those answers in Game 6? It's not unrealistic to think it's a possibility even though he has not started a game since April 5.

Campbell has allowed one goal on 19 shots in the series and two goals on 47 shots (.957 save percentage) in the postseason, including 27 saves in relief of Skinner in Game 4 of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings, a 5-4 comeback win in overtime. Skinner then started Game 5 and made 25 saves in a 6-3 win after giving up three goals on 11 shots in Game 4

"He's done his job," Woodcroft said of Campbell. "I think that's a big thing for all players whether you're playing low minutes, whether you have to come in in tough situations, your job is your job. The only thing that you can take care of is your job. You can't worry about doing anyone else's job. You've just got to take care of your own job and trust that other people are going to take care of theirs. And for Jack to come in relief the times that he has, he's come in and done his job and been an important member of our group."

Regardless of who starts, the Oilers are confident they can force a Game 7 on Tuesday. They're 4-0 with eight goals allowed following a loss this postseason.

"You have to win two games in a row, and we've won two games in a row I don't know how many times this season," forward Zach Hyman said "We're definitely capable of it. There's strong confidence in this room and we do our best when our backs are against the wall, so we're excited for the opportunity."

They're familiar with it too, having been down 3-2 to the Kings last year. It was different because they had to go on the road to win Game 6 before coming home for Game 7, but the Oilers got the job done then and feel that experience can benefit them now.

"We know this having been on the other side of it when you get to trying to find the fourth win in a series the pressure switches to that team," Woodcroft said. "We know where the pressure lies in this situation, that's on Vegas, on trying to come to our building and close us out in Edmonton. For us, we had the mindset going back to last year of taking care of one thing at a time. The thing that's immediately before us is we have to try to find a win on home ice, a place where we feel comfortable.

"We have full faith in our ability to respond and that's what we expect to do."