JN Flight Plan #65: Winnipeg Jets @ Washington Capitals

4 years ago

Red versus blue is a classic back and forth Washington DC matchup, but in hockey it hasn’t worked out so well for the Winnipeg Jets as they haven’t won in DC since 2013. The possibility that they can break that trend tonight in the first of a home and home set with the @Washington Capitals seems highly unlikely as the Jets have struggled on the road over the last two games. Washington has had it’s struggles as of late as well, but are very tough at home and have reinforcements coming with debut of Ilya Kovalchuk happening tonight.

Winnipeg Jets (32-27-5 / 4th Central)
@
Washington Capitals (38-18-6 / 1st Metro)

Feb 25, 2020 – Puck drop: 6:00 PM CST
Capital One Arena – Washington, DC
TV: TSN 3 – Radio: TSN 1290


@ PHI 4-2 L	Last Game	vs PIT 5-3 W
3-2-0 (2 L)	Last 5 Games	1-3-1 (1 W)
@KYLE CONNOR – 30	Goal Leader	@Alex Ovechkin – 42
@MARK SCHEIFELE – 41	Assist Leader	@John Carlson – 57
MARK SCHEIFELE – 67	Points Leader	John Carlson – 72
20.53% (14th)	The Power Play	20.40% (15TH)
77.16% (25th)	The Penalty Kill	83.49% (4th)
@Laurent Brossoit (6-7-0 / .893 SV%)	Starting Goalie	@Braden Holtby (22-13-5 / .897 SV%)
W @ OTT (29-30 / .967 SV%)	Last Goalie Start	W vs PIT (32-35 / .914 SV%)
16-13-2 ON ROAD	Road v Home Record	17-9-5 AT HOME

Last Capitals Game

They trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes of play, but then the Caps came back with four goals in the third to prevail as 5-3 victors over the Pittsburgh Penguins. @Carl Hagelin had a pair of goals in the game and his empty net goal to salt things away was the 100th of his career.

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Fun Caps Facts…

Ovechkin became both the second-youngest and second-fastest player to join the NHL’s 700-goal club with his tally on Saturday in New Jersey, joining seven others in the group. The only player to reach the 700-goal mark at a younger age or in fewer games than Ovechkin (age 34, 1,144 games) is all-time goals leader Wayne Gretzky (age 29, 886 games).
Newly acquired forward @Ilya Kovalchuk is expected to make his Capitals debut against the Winnipeg Jets. Kovalchuk recorded 13 points (6g, 7a) in 22 games with the Canadiens and another nine points (3g, 6a) in 17 games with the Los Angeles Kings this season. He recorded a 54.70 shot attempt percentage (324 shot attempts for, 268 against) with Montreal.
John Carlson has 57 assists this season, which leads all defensemen and ranks second in the NHL (Leon Draisaitl: 62) and has 72 points (15g, 56a), which also leads all defensemen. He became one of five defensemen to reach the 70 point mark in 59 or fewer games in the last 30 years.

What They’re Saying…

“I think he’s a good fit for what we need. I think he’s an established player. So many good reports and viewings of what he did in Montreal. We think he’s a fit for our team. We think he can add a lot offensively, playmaking. So many good things have been said about him on and off the ice in Montreal that we basically thought it was a no brainer to add him.”

Brian MacLellan called acquiring Ilya Kovlachuk a ‘no brainer.’ ‘He’ll do anything’ for a chance to win the Stanley Cup – Russian Machine Never Breaks

Last Jets Game

They started poor, falling behind by a goal early in the game yet again, but the finish was worse as the Buffalo Sabres scored early in the third period and the Winnipeg Jets couldn’t manage a shot on goal in the final nine minutes of the game as they lost 2-1 in Buffalo.

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Fun Jets Facts…

Winnipeg is in a stretch of five of six games on the road. The Jets are 2-6-0 in their past eight road games, but are still tied for 12th in the NHL on the road this season with a record of 16-13-2.
@Jansen Harkins had a career high six shots on Sunday against Buffalo. He had a combined 14 shots in his first 23 NHL games this season. Harkins has three points (1G, 2A) in his past five games as he’s been moved up to the top line.
The Jets are one of eight teams in the NHL this season with two players with 60 points. @Patrik Laine is one point shy of 60 to give the Jets three 60-point getters, while @Blake Wheeler is three points away as well.
The Jets have a point in five of their last seven games against Washington (3-2-2) but are also winless in their past seven games in Washington (0-5-2). The Jets last win at Capital One Center was on Jan. 22, 2013 in a game in which Blake Wheeler scored the game-winning goal.

What We’re Saying…

The Jets struggled to score in the third period against the Sabres and it largely had to do with their neutral zone play. Buffalo fell into a passive forecheck and allowed the Jets to try and pass it through the middle of the ice. Winnipeg couldn’t connect and they could barely get the puck into the offensive zone. The Jets are a fast team, but it doesn’t matter how fast you can skate if the passes aren’t crisp and accurate.

WTWF: Jets Need Bounceback Against Capitals

Be sure to check out our Twitter feed for any late updates to the game lineups!
You can also get up to the minute lineup combos for the Jets
including power play and penalty kill lines by checking out our line combo page.

Washington Capitals Lines

LW	C	RW	Forwards
ALEX OVECHKIN Rating: 81.1#4 LW	EVGENY KUZNETSOV Rating: 74.0#44 C	TOM WILSON Rating: 74.0#39 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 76.39#12 FL1
JAKUB VRANA Rating: 75.7#25 LW	NICKLAS BACKSTROM Rating: 75.5#25 C	T.J. OSHIE Rating: 75.9#22 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 75.70#5 FL2
CARL HAGELIN Rating: 71.2#102 LW	LARS ELLER Rating: 73.4#53 C	ILYA KOVALCHUK Rating: 73.0#58 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 72.52#7 FL3
RICHARD PANIK Rating: 70.9#107 LW	NIC DOWD Rating: 69.4#146 C	GARNET HATHAWAY Rating: 69.7#130 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 69.99#20 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS		Defense
BRENDEN DILLON Rating: 71.1#100 LD	JOHN CARLSON Rating: 78.4#3 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 74.74#10 DL1
DMITRI ORLOV Rating: 73.7#38 LD	NICK JENSEN Rating: 72.0#71 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 72.84#19 DL2
MICHAL KEMPNY Rating: 73.2#53 LD	RADKO GUDAS Rating: 71.9#72 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 72.58#10 DL3

GOALIES
BRADEN HOLTBY Rating: 65.2#52 G1	ILYA SAMSONOV Rating: 67.6#34 G2

Winnipeg Jets Lines

LW	C	RW	Forwards
JANSEN HARKINS	MARK SCHEIFELE Rating: 77.5#16 C	BLAKE WHEELER Rating: 77.1#12 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 77.26#9 FL1
KYLE CONNOR Rating: 78.0#8 LW	ANDREW COPP Rating: 73.0#58 C	PATRIK LAINE Rating: 75.5#24 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 75.47#7 FL2
NIKOLAJ EHLERS Rating: 75.6#26 LW	CODY EAKIN Rating: 70.9#106 C	JACK ROSLOVIC Rating: 72.0#78 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 72.84#6 FL3
GABRIEL BOURQUE Rating: 67.6#150 LW	NICK SHORE Rating: 70.6#114 C	MASON APPLETON Rating: 70.6#109 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 69.60#26 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS		Defense
DMITRY KULIKOV Rating: 70.8#105 LD	NEAL PIONK Rating: 75.0#24 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 72.92#23 DL1
NATHAN BEAULIEU Rating: 71.4#92 LD	DYLAN DEMELO Rating: 71.1#87 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 71.24#26 DL2
SAMI NIKU Rating: 71.5#89 LD	TUCKER POOLMAN Rating: 71.0#91 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 71.22#24 DL3