Jones loses shutout, but not game, as S.J. prevails in shootout
NEWARK, N.J. — Martin Jones didn’t seem disappointed Friday night.
After the Sharks’ goalie came within 3:38 of his third consecutive shutout, Jones was happy with winning his fourth straight game and helping the unbeaten Sharks get a 2-1 shootout win over the New Jersey Devils.
“I don’t think there are any secrets,” Jones said after making 31 saves as San Jose improved to 4-0. “My focus is to take the game as it comes and just focus on the process, whether it’s a 1-1 game or a 5-0 game. The process needs to stay the same.”
Jones, 25, has been the Sharks’ best player under new coach Peter DeBoer, who was fired by the Devils last season. He has given up two goals in four games, posting a franchise-record 234-minute, 33second shutout streak in that span.
“The D have done a good job in front of the net, and I am seeing pucks, but you don’t go four games like that with one guy,” said Jones, who was acquired from Boston in a trade. “We’ve played really, really solid both ends of the ice, and we haven’t spent a lot of time in our zone in the four games. It has been a good start.”
Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns scored in a shootout as the Sharks improved to 4-0.
New Jersey is 0-3-1 under new coach John Hynes.
“That was one of the better games for us,” Hynes said after earning his first point as a coach. “Is it good enough yet? No. It is a step in the right direction.”
Patrick Marleau scored for the Sharks about two minutes into the game after taking a pass from behind the net by Joel Ward, and the goal stood until Adam Henrique ended Jones’ shutout bid with a tying power-play goal.
Henrique scored for New Jersey on its first shootout attempt, but Jacob Josefson was stopped on the second and Mike Cammalleri missed the net on the third.
“We easily could have had two points,” said Devils goaltender Cory Schneider, who had 33 saves — including one on Marleau’s second-period penalty shot.
On his goal, Henrique tipped a shot from the point by Damon Severson past Jones. It was the first goal Jones had allowed since he gave up one on the first shot he faced in the season opener against the Kings.
Both goaltenders were tested in the overtime, with Schneider making the best stop, a pad save on Burns after he deked two Devils in front for a oneon-one chance in close.
Henrique hit a goalpost earlier in the extra five minutes, and Kyle Palmieri missed the net on a breakaway for New Jersey.