Calvin Pickard will make his first career start in a Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night.

"It's exciting, good opportunity for me," the Edmonton Oilers goalie said ahead of Game 5 of the championship series, which is tied 2-2.

"It feels like another game for me. Getting the time in last game and not having much time to think about it, and not having much room for error, and then our team really battling back and getting the win, gives you some confidence. The building's going to be electric tonight. It's definitely going to be an exciting day."

Pickard stopped 22 of 23 shots to pick up an overtime win in relief on Thursday in Florida. In the process, he improved to 7-0 in this year's playoffs with an .896 save percentage.

"I guess you could look at today as the biggest game in my life, but the last game was the biggest game in my life until the next one," the 33-year-old said. "It's rinse and repeat for me."

Pickard, who is on his sixth NHL team and 13th team in professional hockey, will be making just his ninth career Stanley Cup playoffs start.

"It's been a great journey," the Moncton, N.B. native said. "I've been a lot of good places. Grateful that I had the chance to come to Edmonton a couple years ago, and this is what you play for. I'm excited."

Pickard replaced a struggling Stuart Skinner during the first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. He reeled off six straight wins before sustaining an injury in the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights. Skinner played well in his absence and then continued to hold the starting job after Pickard got healthy.

But after Skinner allowed three goals on 17 shots during a disastrous first period for the Oilers on Thursday, Kris Knoblauch decided to make a change. With Pickard between the pipes, Edmonton erased a 3-0 deficit.

The coach was asked about the decision to stick with Pickard on Saturday.

"It wasn't an easy call, because we got two good goaltenders," Knoblauch said. "The deciding factor for us is we won the previous game and Picks made a lot of big saves."

Pickard made 31 starts for the Oilers in the regular season, finishing with a .900 save percentage.

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