Jones went to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final with the Sharks, who signed him to a six-year contract extension July 1, 2017. His career save percentage in the playoffs was .931 …
Until he played Vegas in the second round in 2017-18. He went 2-4 with a 3.13 goals-against average, an .895 save percentage and one shutout in that series.
He had the worst goals-against average (2.94) and save percentage (.896) of his NHL career in the 2018-19 regular season. Dell's numbers were even worse: 3.17 and .886.
But the Sharks felt the issues were collective.
"I don't think there was any doubt in any of our minds that [Jones] was capable of doing it," general manager Doug Wilson said. "We believed in him, and he's our guy. The combination of him and [Dell], we're very comfortable with them."
Jones was not a storyline in Game 1 against Vegas in the first round this season. He stopped 24 of 26 shots. The Sharks won 5-2.
But he allowed three goals on seven shots and was pulled after 6:39 in Game 2, a 5-3 loss. He allowed six goals on 40 shots in Game 3, a 6-3 loss. And he allowed two goals on seven shots and was pulled after the first period in Game 4, a 5-0 loss.
In each of those games, he allowed a goal in the first 1:11. Over those three games, his save percentage was .796.
"It seemed like he just wasn't as comfortable as he normally was at first, and then a switch flipped, and he was just back to his old ways, how he was on that run in '16," defenseman Justin Braun said.
"He's just so calm and poised there. I think that's his biggest thing.
