Pickering was drafted 21st-overall by the Penguins in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut last season, scoring three points (1G / 2A) in 25 games. He has four points (1G / 3A) in seven games at the AHL level this season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
The Oilers have lost four of their first six games (2-3-1) despite receiving adequate goaltending. Skinner has a 1-2-1 record through four outings but has been reliable between the pipes, posting a 2.23 GAA and .910 SV%. The Oilers are only averaging 2.5 goals per game, bottom-five in the NHL, and hope to inflate those totals on Tuesday, facing off against an Ottawa Senators team allowing a league-worst 5.0 goals per game through six contests (2-4-0). The Oilers enter the matchup as -123 road favorites.
The Oilers have lost four of their first six games (2-3-1) despite receiving adequate goaltending. Skinner has a 1-2-1 record through four outings but has been reliable between the pipes, posting a 2.23 GAA and .910 SV%. The Oilers are only averaging 2.5 goals per game, bottom-five in the NHL, and hope to inflate those totals on Tuesday, facing off against an Ottawa Senators team allowing a league-worst 5.0 goals per game through six contests (2-4-0). The Oilers enter the matchup as -123 road favorites.
The Penguins are off to a surprising 4-2-0 start to the 2025-26 season, riding a two-game winning streak, due in part to strong tandem netminding from Arturs Silovs and Tristan Jarry. The 23-year-old Silovs will tend the twine on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks, looking to improve on his 2.67 GAA and .908 SV% through three games (2-1-0). The Penguins enter Tuesday's matchup as slight -109 home favorites against a Canucks team riding a three-game winning streak.
Kindel sat as a healthy scratch on Thursday, but he'll replace Philip Tomasino in the lineup on Saturday. Kindel has scored one goal in four games so far this season.
The Oilers will turn to Skinner between the pipes for the third time this season when they travel to Long Island on Thursday. Skinner was spectacular in his last outing, stopping all 30 shots he faced in a 2-0 shutout win over the Rangers on Tuesday. He's a good bet to stay in the win column on Thursday, as the Oilers enter action at -165 on the money line.
Brunicke was a healthy scratch in Pittsburgh's most recent game in an attempt to help him acclimate to the NHL, but he will be back in the lineup on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings. The 19-year-old defenseman has one goal through three games.
Benjamin Kindel will be a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings, allowing Acciari to re-enter the lineup. The 33-year-old Acciari is averaging 13:04 time-on-ice and has seven hits through three games this season.
