San Jose Sharks netminder Martin Jones stood on his head Wednesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights, stopping all 34 shots he faced. In doing so, Jones improved his already sensational career postseason numbers:
W-L
GAA
SV%
SO
22-16
2.01
.927
6
With his sixth career playoff shutout - and his second of 2018 - Jones tied Matt Murray for the most by any netminder across the last three years, per NHL Public Relations. He also moved one back of Evgeni Nabokov for the most playoff shutouts in Sharks history. Amazingly, Jones has done it in just 38 games, while it took Nabokov more than double (80) to reach seven shutouts.
Considering his playoff numbers, it's odd that Jones hasn't been especially great during the regular season. He's played well, but he's never had a season with a .920 save percentage, and he's never finished in the top five in Vezina Trophy voting.
But given his outstanding play when it matters most, it might be time to start including Jones' name in conversations about the game's elite netminders.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Tomas Hertl scored his team-leading fifth goal of the playoffs, Martin Jones made 34 saves for his sixth career postseason shutout and the San Jose Sharks evened their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights with a 4-0 victory in Game 4 on Wednesday night.
Marcus Sorensen and Joonas Donskoi scored in the first period to allow San Jose to play from ahead and Joe Pavelski added a power-play goal in the third to help the Sharks rebound from an overtime loss at home in Game 3.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves and Vegas failed to convert on all five power-play chances to lose for the second time in eight games this postseason.
The teams have now alternated wins through four games, heading into Game 5 on Friday night in Vegas.
Each team has a shutout and an overtime win so far this series, which is now a best-of-three for a spot in the Western Conference Final.
Jones was sharp from the start, tying Evgeni Nabokov's record for most saves in a playoff shutout in Sharks history.
He robbed Reilly Smith early in the game and delivered big saves throughout. He was helped on a delayed penalty when Brent Burns cleared a puck off the goal line and when James Neal hit the post on a power play in the first period.
But he also delivered some big-time saves, including back-to-back stops against William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault on a Vegas power play in the final minute of the second period. Jones then turned aside Smith on a power play in the third.
Hertl helped give Jones a cushion with his goal early in the second. Logan Couture won an offensive zone faceoff against Erik Haula and Mikkel Boedker took the puck behind the goal for a wraparound attempt. Hertl was in front and knocked the loose puck in to make it 3-0.
Pavelski's goal on the rebound of Couture's shot sealed the game midway through the third.
The Sharks made some lineup changes from Game 3 with defenseman Joakim Ryan returning to the lineup for the first time since March 16 in place of Paul Martin and Donskoi getting back in after missing the previous game with a lower-body injury.
The moves paid off as the Sharks got off to the fast start coach Peter DeBoer was seeking. After an early giveaway led to a scoring chance for Vegas, Ryan fared well and stripped William Carrier of the puck to thwart a chance for the Golden Knights.
San Jose then scored twice in the final five minutes of the first period. Sorensen struck first, using a pick from linemate Eric Fehr to get loose from the corner and then skated around two defenseman to beat Fleury with his fourth goal of the playoffs.
The Sharks added to the lead with 5.1 seconds to go when Donskoi skated from his own zone and beat Fleury with a wrist shot from the high slot.
NOTES: Vegas had outscored the opposition 7-1 in the first period in the first seven games this postseason. ... Sorensen has five goals in 14 playoff games compared to six in 51 regular-season games.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Tomas Hertl scored his team-leading fifth goal of the playoffs, Martin Jones made 34 saves for his sixth career postseason shutout and the San Jose Sharks evened their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights with a 4-0 victory in Game 4 on Wednesday night.
Marcus Sorensen and Joonas Donskoi scored in the first period to allow San Jose to play from ahead and Joe Pavelski added a power-play goal in the third to help the Sharks rebound from an overtime loss at home in Game 3.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves and Vegas failed to convert on all five power-play chances to lose for the second time in eight games this postseason.
The teams have now alternated wins through four games, heading into Game 5 on Friday night in Vegas.
Each team has a shutout and an overtime win so far this series, which is now a best-of-three for a spot in the Western Conference Final.
Jones was sharp from the start, tying Evgeni Nabokov's record for most saves in a playoff shutout in Sharks history.
He robbed Reilly Smith early in the game and delivered big saves throughout. He was helped on a delayed penalty when Brent Burns cleared a puck off the goal line and when James Neal hit the post on a power play in the first period.
But he also delivered some big-time saves, including back-to-back stops against William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault on a Vegas power play in the final minute of the second period. Jones then turned aside Smith on a power play in the third.
Hertl helped give Jones a cushion with his goal early in the second. Logan Couture won an offensive zone faceoff against Erik Haula and Mikkel Boedker took the puck behind the goal for a wraparound attempt. Hertl was in front and knocked the loose puck in to make it 3-0.
Pavelski's goal on the rebound of Couture's shot sealed the game midway through the third.
The Sharks made some lineup changes from Game 3 with defenseman Joakim Ryan returning to the lineup for the first time since March 16 in place of Paul Martin and Donskoi getting back in after missing the previous game with a lower-body injury.
The moves paid off as the Sharks got off to the fast start coach Peter DeBoer was seeking. After an early giveaway led to a scoring chance for Vegas, Ryan fared well and stripped William Carrier of the puck to thwart a chance for the Golden Knights.
San Jose then scored twice in the final five minutes of the first period. Sorensen struck first, using a pick from linemate Eric Fehr to get loose from the corner and then skated around two defenseman to beat Fleury with his fourth goal of the playoffs.
The Sharks added to the lead with 5.1 seconds to go when Donskoi skated from his own zone and beat Fleury with a wrist shot from the high slot.
NOTES: Vegas had outscored the opposition 7-1 in the first period in the first seven games this postseason. ... Sorensen has five goals in 14 playoff games compared to six in 51 regular-season games.
Tom Wilson's three-game suspension is a massive blow to the Washington Capitals' aspirations of defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the playoffs. Not only does the right winger's physicality make opponents aware of when he's on the ice, but he's also been a nice compliment to Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov on the Caps' top line, scoring 14 goals during the regular season.
This trio has also been firing on all cylinders in the playoffs. Ovechkin (8-5-13), Kuznetsov (5-4-9), and Wilson (2-5-7) have combined for 29 points in nine postseason games, so finding the correct replacement for Wilson is a key decision, to say the least.
Here are the forward lines Washington's been rolling out the last few games:
LW
C
RW
Alex Ovechkin
Evgeny Kuznetsov
Tom Wilson
Chandler Stephenson
Nicklas Backstrom
T.J. Oshie
Brett Connolly
Lars Eller
Devante Smith-Pelly
Jakub Vrana
Jay Beagle
Alex Chiasson
Assuming Andre Burakovsky remains out of the lineup with an upper-body injury (he hasn't played since Game 2 of Round 1), whoever enters the lineup in Wilson's place likely won't be inserted into a top-line role. Instead, here are five candidates to play alongside Ovechkin and Kuznetsov:
T.J. Oshie
Oshie would be a great fit. He isn't afraid to go in the corners, can be a playmaker and a finisher, is responsible defensively, and has experience playing with both Ovechkin and Kuznetsov. The problem is that it would leave Nicklas Backstrom without a proven offensive player on the second line. Lineup depth is crucial against the Pens, so this doesn't seem all that logical.
Brett Connolly
Connolly is a right-handed-shooting right winger currently playing out of position on the third line at left wing, so moving him back to his natural position could be a good fit.
Though he doesn't bring the same physicality as Wilson, Connolly isn't afraid to throw his weight around (72 hits during the regular season, 13 during the playoffs), brings size at 6-foot-3, and has scored 30 goals over the past two seasons despite a limited role. He could be Trotz's best option.
Devante Smith-Pelly
Smith-Pelly is basically a poor man's Wilson. Weighing 223 pounds and having already delivered 28 hits in the playoffs, he's Washington's second-most physical forward. His problem is offense, however, as he posted just seven goals in the regular season, while his career high is only 14.
Yet, given that Ovechkin and Kuznetsov create plenty of offense on their own, replicating Wilson's toughness might be Trotz's top priority in order to keep the line's chemistry intact. Going in that direction would make Smith-Pelly the best choice.
Jakub Vrana
Aside from Oshie, Vrana has the most offensive upside of the options. The 22-year-old was the 13th overall pick in 2014, and while he scored just 13 goals during the regular season, he has exceptional speed and offensive ability.
However, Trotz clearly doesn't trust him defensively. Vrana has been relegated to fourth-line duties, averaging just over nine minutes per game in the playoffs. Being out on the ice against Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin requires acute defensive awareness, so while a promotion to the top line would be exciting, it's probably unwise.
Chandler Stephenson
Stephenson is probably the least sexy pick of the bunch, but he's had a nice playoffs so far, tallying five points and playing the sixth-most minutes among Washington's forwards - meaning Trotz clearly trusts him. He's fast and kills penalties, too, so even though he's just 24 with little playoff experience, he wouldn't be a defensive liability, provided his left-handed shot can play on the right wing.
Like with Oshie, promoting Stephenson would result in breaking up the team's second line, but it could turn out to be a shrewd move.
Tom Wilson's three-game suspension is a massive blow to the Washington Capitals' aspirations of defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the playoffs. Not only does the right winger's physicality make opponents aware of when he's on the ice, but he's also been a nice compliment to Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov on the Caps' top line, scoring 14 goals during the regular season.
This trio has also been firing on all cylinders in the playoffs. Ovechkin (8-5-13), Kuznetsov (5-4-9), and Wilson (2-5-7) have combined for 29 points in nine postseason games, so finding the correct replacement for Wilson is a key decision, to say the least.
Here are the forward lines Washington's been rolling out the last few games:
LW
C
RW
Alex Ovechkin
Evgeny Kuznetsov
Tom Wilson
Chandler Stephenson
Nicklas Backstrom
T.J. Oshie
Brett Connolly
Lars Eller
Devante Smith-Pelly
Jakub Vrana
Jay Beagle
Alex Chiasson
Assuming Andre Burakovsky remains out of the lineup with an upper-body injury (he hasn't played since Game 2 of Round 1), whoever enters the lineup in Wilson's place likely won't be inserted into a top-line role. Instead, here are five candidates to play alongside Ovechkin and Kuznetsov:
T.J. Oshie
Oshie would be a great fit. He isn't afraid to go in the corners, can be a playmaker and a finisher, is responsible defensively, and has experience playing with both Ovechkin and Kuznetsov. The problem is that it would leave Nicklas Backstrom without a proven offensive player on the second line. Lineup depth is crucial against the Pens, so this doesn't seem all that logical.
Brett Connolly
Connolly is a right-handed-shooting right winger currently playing out of position on the third line at left wing, so moving him back to his natural position could be a good fit.
Though he doesn't bring the same physicality as Wilson, Connolly isn't afraid to throw his weight around (72 hits during the regular season, 13 during the playoffs), brings size at 6-foot-3, and has scored 30 goals over the past two seasons despite a limited role. He could be Trotz's best option.
Devante Smith-Pelly
Smith-Pelly is basically a poor man's Wilson. Weighing 223 pounds and having already delivered 28 hits in the playoffs, he's Washington's second-most physical forward. His problem is offense, however, as he posted just seven goals in the regular season, while his career high is only 14.
Yet, given that Ovechkin and Kuznetsov create plenty of offense on their own, replicating Wilson's toughness might be Trotz's top priority in order to keep the line's chemistry intact. Going in that direction would make Smith-Pelly the best choice.
Jakub Vrana
Aside from Oshie, Vrana has the most offensive upside of the options. The 22-year-old was the 13th overall pick in 2014, and while he scored just 13 goals during the regular season, he has exceptional speed and offensive ability.
However, Trotz clearly doesn't trust him defensively. Vrana has been relegated to fourth-line duties, averaging just over nine minutes per game in the playoffs. Being out on the ice against Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin requires acute defensive awareness, so while a promotion to the top line would be exciting, it's probably unwise.
Chandler Stephenson
Stephenson is probably the least sexy pick of the bunch, but he's had a nice playoffs so far, tallying five points and playing the sixth-most minutes among Washington's forwards - meaning Trotz clearly trusts him. He's fast and kills penalties, too, so even though he's just 24 with little playoff experience, he wouldn't be a defensive liability, provided his left-handed shot can play on the right wing.
Like with Oshie, promoting Stephenson would result in breaking up the team's second line, but it could turn out to be a shrewd move.
In trying to drown out the opposition, San Jose Sharks fans threw off the anthem singer.
As has become tradition, Vegas fans have been yelling "Knight" during the U.S. anthem at the line "Gave proof through the night."
In an attempt to curb that Golden Knights enthusiasm, the home crowd booed at that moment of the song prior to Game 4, causing the singer to follow the line up with "that our star was still there."
In trying to drown out the opposition, San Jose Sharks fans threw off the anthem singer.
As has become tradition, Vegas fans have been yelling "Knight" during the U.S. anthem at the line "Gave proof through the night."
In an attempt to curb that Golden Knights enthusiasm, the home crowd booed at that moment of the song prior to Game 4, causing the singer to follow the line up with "that our star was still there."
BOSTON (AP) Ondrej Palat scored twice in the first 3:19 of the game, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 on Wednesday night to open a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 28 shots for Tampa Bay, which has won two straight since losing the series opener at home.
Anthony Cirelli scored his first career NHL playoff goal - with an assist from Yanni Gourde, whose wife gave birth on Tuesday - giving Tampa Bay a 3-1 lead late in the first.
Patrice Bergeron scored his fourth goal of the playoffs for Boston, and Tuukka Rask made 33 saves.
Game 4 is Friday night.
Palat scored just 1:47 in after Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk settled the puck with his glove in his own end, then appeared to lose track of it and skated away, leaving the Lightning with an easy 2-on-1 opportunity.
Palat made it 2-0 just 92 seconds later on a shot that deflected off Bruins defenseman Torey Krug and into the net.
It stayed that way until the Lightning picked up a power play in the final two minutes when Krug tripped Cirelli as he chased after the puck with an empty net in front of him.
The Lightning made it 4-1 anyway when Steven Stamkos found the empty net on the power play with 42 seconds left.
NOTES: Former Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez was the honorary fan banner captain, waving a Bruins flag before the game. He was also showed several times on the scoreboard trying to get the fans fired up. ... Brad Marchand picked up a second-period slashing penalty and had to be forcibly steered to the penalty box by a linesman while he argued the call. ... The Lightning won for just the 10th time in 54 visits to TD Garden. Tampa Bay is 13-9 all-time in Game 3s and 7-5 in Game 3s on the road.
BOSTON (AP) Ondrej Palat scored twice in the first 3:19 of the game, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 on Wednesday night to open a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 28 shots for Tampa Bay, which has won two straight since losing the series opener at home.
Anthony Cirelli scored his first career NHL playoff goal - with an assist from Yanni Gourde, whose wife gave birth on Tuesday - giving Tampa Bay a 3-1 lead late in the first.
Patrice Bergeron scored his fourth goal of the playoffs for Boston, and Tuukka Rask made 33 saves.
Game 4 is Friday night.
Palat scored just 1:47 in after Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk settled the puck with his glove in his own end, then appeared to lose track of it and skated away, leaving the Lightning with an easy 2-on-1 opportunity.
Palat made it 2-0 just 92 seconds later on a shot that deflected off Bruins defenseman Torey Krug and into the net.
It stayed that way until the Lightning picked up a power play in the final two minutes when Krug tripped Cirelli as he chased after the puck with an empty net in front of him.
The Lightning made it 4-1 anyway when Steven Stamkos found the empty net on the power play with 42 seconds left.
NOTES: Former Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez was the honorary fan banner captain, waving a Bruins flag before the game. He was also showed several times on the scoreboard trying to get the fans fired up. ... Brad Marchand picked up a second-period slashing penalty and had to be forcibly steered to the penalty box by a linesman while he argued the call. ... The Lightning won for just the 10th time in 54 visits to TD Garden. Tampa Bay is 13-9 all-time in Game 3s and 7-5 in Game 3s on the road.
The suspension comes after Wilson landed a head check on Aston-Reese in Game 3 of the second-round series between the Capitals and Penguins.
Wilson was not penalized on the play in question. Following the Capitals win, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan noted Aston-Reese suffered a concussion and a broken jaw as a result of the hit.
