Martin Jones makes 34 saves as Sharks tie series with 4-0 win

SAN JOSE, Calif. – 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.