Tuesday's tilt against the Sharks is certainly one Cam Talbot and the Oilers will like to forget.
After posting back-to-back shutouts in Games 2 and 3, Talbot was pulled in Game 4 after allowing five goals on 24 shots.
The Oilers were swarmed by the Sharks from the get-go, allowing the first goal just 15 seconds into the game. It was really over before it even started.
Talbot certainly can't take all of the blame, but it's possible his lackluster performance could be a sign of fatigue after playing a league-high 73 games this season.
In fact, since the 2007-08 season there have only 25 instances in which a goaltender played 70-plus regular-season games. In only five of those instances did the goalie's team make it past the first round of the playoffs. Four of those teams were eliminated in Round 2. The fifth team was eliminated in the Conference Finals.
Laurent Brossoit took over for Talbot in the second period, which will allow the workhorse netminder to get some rest in before a crucial Game 5 on Thursday.
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