How bad was the Jets team defence that he was still able to post an .870SP while allowing 5+ goals per game.
They got shelled every game. Colorado averaged over 35 shots a game with Helle in net, and a lot of them were under sustained pressure. There was some crazy stat where they had strung up 4 shots against Helle within a handful of seconds multiple times in the same game. They looked like the Jets team that lost 6 straight right before they went on a win streak to end the season.
Helle had two goals in the first game he could have maybe saved, Nichushkin had a partial breakaway down the wing off a bad turnover while the Jets D were changing that beat him clean with a rocket, and Mack beat him five hole off a shot he'd probably like to save off a pretty harmless looking zone entry where Mack just pulled up and fired it through the dman.
In game two, Miles Wood scored off the faceoff and I don't think Helle saw it coming with two Jets players screening him. The Parise goal where he turned over the puck off of forecheck pressure was pretty bad. I think this game is the one people probably think of the most when criticizing his play in the series.
Game 3 Colorado essentially had 3 PP goals with one of them coming the second the 5on4 technically ended. Nothing but Jets defensive breakdowns and poor discipline in this game.
Game 4 the only goal not off a brutal Jets defensive breakdown in coverage or on the PP was Makar's end to end goal where he beats two or three Jets through the neutral zone and backs the dman into the zone with speed and cleanly beats Hellebuyck from the top of the circle high blocker. Could he have saved it? Maybe, but Makar is one of, if not the best offensive dman in the world. There's no shame in getting beat by him.
Game 5 Jets had an own goal courtesy of Pionk, another where Pionk lets his man walk out from under the goal line and pick up his own rebound, a tip-in, a beautiful passing play on the first goal, and a cross crease 2on1 goal. Can't really fault him directly for any of these goals.
Colorado just outplayed the Jets and there wasn't much he was able to do. People really ought to give them credit where it's due, but as the likely Vezina winner he's just the easiest scapegoat for lazy forum posters to target.