Facing elimination, Oilers plan to stick with Smith in Game 4

The Edmonton Oilers will start goaltender Mike Smith in their must-win Game 4 against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, head coach Jay Woodcroft said, sticking with their starting goaltender despite his bouts of inconsistency throughout the playoffs.

Through 15 post-season games, Smith has backstopped the Oilers to all eight of their wins and two shutouts, though his occasional poorly timed gaffes have stood out and proved costly in each series so far.

Smith enters Game 4 with a 3.18 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.

"It's not over until you lose four, and you've got to come back in Game 4 and try to win one game and move on from there," Smith said. "Obviously the desperation level has to be at an all-time high in order to win at this time of the year, and it comes from everybody in the room. You've just got to give it everything you have for one game."

In NHL history, teams that take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series hold a 198-4 record in those series. Clubs that have won the first three games in the conference finals semifinals are 44-0, which includes 26 sweeps.

Edmonton will have to attempt that ascent without forward Evander Kane, who leads all skaters in the playoffs with 13 goals. Kane was suspended by the NHL on Sunday or one game after he received a major penalty for boarding when he hit Colorado's Nazem Kadri from behind on Saturday.

Kadri, who has six goals and 14 points in the playoffs, will miss the rest of this series and more, according to Avalanche coach Jared Bednar, which will test his team's depth.

For the Oilers, Woodcroft did not disclose how he intended to navigate Kane's absence, saying only that Dylan Holloway was healthy and available but that Kailer Yamomoto, who missed Game 3 as well, would not be able to play.

Live coverage of Game 4 begins at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet NOW.