Martin Jones Shines To Keep Sharks Alive In 4-2 Finals Game 5 Win Over Penguins

Martin Jones made spectacular 44 saves to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 4-2 road victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Thursday night.

Martin Jones Shines To Keep Sharks Alive In 4-2 Finals Game 5 Win Over Penguins

“Just unbelievable,” Sharks center Joe Thornton said after his goalie’s incredible performance that extended San Jose’s season, leaving them trailing the final series 3-2.

“You know, he’s been doing it all year,” Thornton added. “Not just tonight, he does it every game for us. He’s just a stud for us.”

Jones finished with the most saves in a Stanley Cup Finals regulation game since former Toronto Maple Leafs great Ken Dryden made 43 in Game 2 of the 1967 finals. It was also his second-most saves this final series, after finishing with 40 saves in a Game 3, 3-2 overtime win on Saturday.

“Yeah, that was unbelievable,” Sharks defenseman Justin Braun said. “He’s calm, he doesn’t flinch, he doesn’t go after guys, he doesn’t lose his cool. He’s always tapping us on the pads saying we did a good job, and he’s usually bailing us out. He was great to watch tonight, but we’ve got to give him a little more help.”

On June 30, 2015, just four days after the Boston Bruins had traded for the goalkeeper from the Los Angeles Kings, Sharks GM Doug Wilson got him out of Boston and on his team.

Like Braun, head coach Peter DeBoer also noted Jones’ ability to remain cool under pressure.

“We started the season, it didn’t start as smoothly for any of us as we wanted,” DeBoer said. “I mean, we were winning one, losing one, including him. Just kept battling and battling. Kept throwing him out there, he kept finding a way. I think we all recognized then that he had that competitive edge too, that is critical.”

Brent Burns scored 64 seconds into the game, giving the Sharks their first lead of the series, and Logan Couture deflected a shot from Braun 1:49 later to make it 2-0. The Penguins had not trailed in a game since Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning on May 20, a series during which they lost twice in overtime.

“I felt like I was on top of things tonight, to be honest,” said Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray, who made 18 saves. “They kind of fanned on the [third] one. I probably could’ve played [Brent] Burns’ goal a little bit better. I felt really good.”

Penguins center Evgeni Malkin scored a power-play goal at 4:44 of the first period to bring the score to 2-1, and Carl Hagelin tied up the game 22 seconds later after a feed from Nick Bonino. The four goals in 5:06 set a record for the fastest four goals to start a game in the Stanley Cup Final beating the four combined goals scored by the Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks (two by each team) to start Game 4 in 1992.

Jones then stopped the next 40 shots after Hagelin’s goal, including 17 in the scoreless second period.

Sharks forward Melker Karlsson brought the score to 3-2 with 5:13 remaining in the first. He misfired on the shot, but it wobbled past Murray. Captain Joe Pavelski scored an empty-net goal with 1:20 remaining in the game to seal the win for San Jose.

Game 6 is set for Sunday in San Jose.  

PHOTO: PITTSBURGH, PA – JUNE 01: Martin Jones #31 of the San Jose Sharks tends goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Two of the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Consol Energy Center on June 1, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena