Skip to content

Knoblauch: Oilers will 'likely' have 1 lineup change for Game 4

Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said there will "likely" be one lineup change for his team for Game 4 on Thursday, but he wouldn't elaborate on what that swap might be.

"We haven't confirmed that, we haven't discussed that with our players yet, but there are some things that we've been thinking about and there might be a lineup change," he said Wednesday.

The bench boss added that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will be a game-time decision for the second straight contest. The winger's status for Game 3 on Monday night was up in the air due to an undisclosed injury, but he ended up recording one shot, one block, and two hits in 15:34 minutes of ice time during Edmonton's 6-1 defeat.

Knoblauch also stayed mum on his starting goalie for Game 4, though he defended Stuart Skinner's performance on Tuesday.

The Oilers had the day off on Wednesday, but they ran the same lines and defensive pairings during Tuesday's practice, just with Jeff Skinner filling in for Nugent-Hopkins on the top line.

"At this time of the year, you want depth," Knoblauch said. "You know that there's going to be injuries and things that you gotta change up to your lineup. We're blessed with having an abundance of good players."

The Florida Panthers currently hold a 2-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final. The puck drops on Game 4 at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox