Sharks trade of first-round pick for Martin Jones pays off big in playoffs.
SAN JOSE — The Sharks sacrificed a firstround pick when they traded for goalie Martin Jones last offseason. The payoff has been more than worth it.
Jones’ first season as an NHL starter hit its peak Wednesday when he helped take down the St. Louis Blues 5-2 to send the Sharks to their first Stanley Cup Finals in their 25-year history.
“I think what’s special about this group is it’s everybody. It’s not one or two guys. It’s been a real group effort,” Jones said.
“We’ll enjoy it tonight. But we know we have the real work ahead of us still. We knew we had a group that could do it. We’ve really come together. We’ve played really well the second half of the season.”
Jones, who had delivered shutouts in seriesclinching wins over the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators, was working on a third when St. Louis got two thirdperiod goals from Vladimir Tarasenko.
But Jones was steady when the Sharks needed him, particularly when he stymied Jori Lehtera from just inside the right faceoff circle midway through the second period with the Sharks leading 2-0.
The Blues came on strong during that second period, surprisingly energized after Scottie Upshall took a four-minute double minor penalty. St. Louis actually outshot the Sharks 2-1 through the first two minutes of that power play, but Jones was there to make the stops.
He finished the night with 24 saves and earned cheers of “Jonesy” from the crowd. It wasn’t until San Jose was well in charge, up 4-0, that the Blues found their way past him.
But Jones firmed after Taresenko’s second goal, the Sharks added an empty-netter and San Jose’s long awaited celebration began.
The top line of Joe n Pavelski, Joe Thornton and Tomas Hertl once again led the Sharks’ offensive charge in the first period of Game 6 of the Western Conference final against the St. Louis Blues.
The Sharks opened the scoring Wednesday just 3:57 into the first period as Hertl and Thornton assisted on Pavelski’s 13th goal of the playoffs.
Hertl sent a long pass up ice that Thornton caught up to as he went in on a breakaway. Thornton’s shot went wide, but Pavelski picked up the loose puck, came in front and jammed it past Blues goalie Brian Elliott on a second effort. Thornton’s assist was his 100th career playoff point with the Sharks.
Before Monday’s game, Pavelski, Thornton and Hertl had combined for 18 points in five games and were a combined plus-9.
Two of their six goals had been game-winners. Hertl scored the winner in the first period in last Thursday’s 3-0 win in Game 3, and Pavelski had the go-ahead goal in the third period of Game 5, a 6-3 Sharks win.
“Jumbo, Pav, we’ve found pretty good chemistry every night has been better and better,” Hertl said Wednesday morning. “We’ve scored a lot of goals. It’s good for us. We just keep going.”