The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets are set for their second of two games against one another this season on Tuesday night. The Jets took the first matchup, 5-4 in overtime, on the road at Capital One Arena.
The Capitals and Jets lead their respective conferences, but the Caps are two points up in the Presidents’ Trophy race as the NHL’s top team. If the Capitals can solve some of the problems the Jets gave them in last month’s matchup, they could move four points ahead at the top of the standings with one game in hand.
“[Their] transition game, big problem for us in our building, so that’s something that we’re going to have to pay attention to,” head coach Spencer Carbery said pregame. “Their top six, for my money, as good as any top six in the National Hockey League. Like, that top line can make you pay in so many different ways, whether it’s O-zone movement-wise or off the rush delays, finding second-wave defensemen getting up in the rush.
“And then you combine that with [Josh] Morrissey and great goaltending. I mean, you have every box checked for an elite, elite team. And they gave us a lot of trouble in our building.”
Winnipeg is led by two of the league’s top goal-scorers this season, Mark Scheiefle (37) and Kyle Connor (35). Due to an upper-body injury, the Jets will be missing their third top gunner, Gabe Vilardi (27).
Jakob Chychrun, the Capitals’ lone injury doubt due to a significant skate cut to his wrist, told reporters after the optional morning skate that he will be suiting up for the game. The 26-year-old defender signed an eight-year extension with the club on Tuesday morning.
The Jets jumped out to an early 2-0 lead against the Capitals on February 1. While the Caps battled back to eventually force overtime, Morrissey potted his second goal of the game from the backend in the extra frame to give Winnipeg two points.
Alex Ovechkin will come into the night just seven goals away from passing Wayne Gretzky for sole possession of the NHL’s all-time goals record. Ovechkin scored his 877th career goal against the Jets in February and has scored the most goals against one team in his career, 56 in 74 games, against the Jets/Thrashers franchise.
The goaltending matchup from the last game will be the same as the league’s two favorites for the Vezina Trophy, Connor Hellebuyck and Logan Thompson, will duel again. Both Thompson and Hellebuyck made 25 saves in the first outing.
Per MoneyPuck, the two goalies are atop the NHL in goals saved above expected. Hellebuyck (34.4) ranks first, followed by Thompson (31.5), and they are the lone two netminders to cross over the 30 mark, with New York Rangers backstop Igor Shesterkin (21.1) in third.
The Capitals have the best record in the league over their last 10 games, going 9-1-0. The Jets have been more inconsistent, posting a 6-4-0 record in their last 10, dropping their last game 5-3 to the cellar-dwelling Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.
