GAME DAY: Jets vs Capitals

WINNIPEG -It's a match-up between the National Hockey League's top two power play units, but the foundation of everything the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals bring to the ice begins on the defensive side of the puck.
"That's the one thing people don't realize when you play Washington, they don't give up very much," said defenceman Josh Morrissey. "Five-on-five, they're a tough team to play against. They're stingy defensively and they play a very good system over there. For us, this year and last year, we're trying to do the same."
So far this season, the Jets (10-5-1) are building toward that. Through 16 games, the Jets have allowed 42 goals against, the third least in the league.
"We believe we have players that can score goals and put up points, but we want to play a hard, defensive game," said Morrissey. "The offence comes from playing that way, and we'll get our chances throughout the game and we believe we can capitalize on that."

Both of the meetings between the two clubs last season went to overtime, and the two teams aren't identical to last year's rosters, Jets captain Blake Wheeler sees some similarities in the make up of the two teams.
"They force teams into match-up problems because of some of the players they have and the way they play the game," said Wheeler, who earned the NHL's Second Star of the Week nod earlier this week, thanks in part to the 10-game point streak he's currently on.
But Wheeler was quick to share the recognition with his linemates Nikolaj Ehlers and Mark Scheifele.
"When our legs are driving us, it creates problems because all three of us skate really well. I think Nik is moving really well right now. He adds a dynamic presence to our line. When Scheifs is moving the way he's moving right now, he's elite."

There were no line rushes during this morning's pre-game skate, but Jets head coach Paul Maurice said his team will go with the same line-up tonight as they had in the 5-2 win over New Jersey on Sunday:
Ehlers-Scheifele-Wheeler
Connor-Little-Perreault
Tanev-Lowry-Laine
Petan-Copp-Roslovic
Morrissey-Trouba
Chiarot-Byfuglien
Morrow-Myers
Mathieu Perreault, who played 159 regular season games over four seasons with the Capitals. He always looks forward to facing his former team and has four points in eight career games against Washington.
A scary collision in practice on Tuesday forced Perreault to leave the session early, but he's good to go tonight.
"It was just kind of a stinger on the side of the leg. It's a little sore, but it's just a bruise," said Perreault.
"We want a good start. Our last two home games here we've had a good start. If we can maybe get a lead and play them hard in the first. As the game goes on, they may wear down a little bit with the fact they played last night."

The Capitals didn't hold a morning skate after beating the Minnesota Wild 5-2 at Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday. Forward Tom Wilson had a goal and seven penalty minutes in his return to action after a neutral arbitrator reduced his 20-game suspension to 14 games.
Wilson was back on a line with Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov in the win that moved Washington to 8-6-3.
Washington had contributions throughout the line-up in Minnesota, as did the Jets in the victory over the New Jersey Devils a couple nights ago.

That's part of the reason Maurice is keeping Nic Petan with Andrew Copp and Jack Roslovic. The latter had his first goal of the season to open the scoring against the Devils, and every member of the line played over 10 minutes.
"Players always want to play well defensively, but they want to feel like they can produce," said Maurice. "They want to score goals. Nic gives that line an opportunity to do that."
With how tight the previous tilts have been between the Jets and the Capitals, any particular goal tonight could be the difference.
That's exactly the atmosphere Morrissey is looking forward to.
"Whenever we play Washington the games are pretty fun. A lot of overtime games and some exciting nights," said Morrissey. "I'd expect the same today."
-- Mitchell Clinton, WinnipegJets.com
GAME NOTES
Tonight's Game
The Winnipeg Jets continue a four-game homestand tonight against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals...The Jets are 2-0 on the homestand so far after a pair of a 5-2 victories over the Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils...The Jets finish the homestand Friday night against the Buffalo Sabres.
Getting Offensive
After averaging 2.4 goals per game in their previous five games, the Jets have scored five goals in back-to-back games...With 51 games, the Jets are tied for 17th in the NHL in goals scored this season for an average of 3.2 per game...Last season Winnipeg was second in the NHL with 273 goals for an average of 3.3 goals per game...After leading the NHL in scoring at home last season with 156 goals, the Jets are continuing to light the lamp at Bell MTS Place this season, as they are tied for fourth in the NHL with 37 goals in 10 home games.
Friendly Confines
After Sunday's win, the Jets have an NHL-best home record of 16-1-1 since Mar. 2/18 (excluding being considered the home team for the Nov. 2 game in Finland)...Winnipeg's Oct. 24 loss to Toronto was the Jets first regulation loss at Bell MTS Place since Feb. 27/18 vs. NSH...The Jets haven't lost back-to-back games at Bell MTS Place since Feb. 20-27/18.
Dominating the East
Tomorrow is the second of three consecutive games for the Jets against an Eastern Conference team to finish off the homestand...Winnipeg is in a stretch of eight of nine games against a team from the East...The Jets are 4-3-0 against Eastern Conference teams this season, but went 19-7-6 against the Eastern Conference last season, including a 10-3-3 record versus the Atlantic Division and 9-4-3 record against the Metropolitan Division.
Star II
Blake Wheeler was named the NHL's second star of the week on Monday after tallying seven points (1G, 6A) in two games...He recorded a new career-high with five points (1G, 4A), as he played a part in each Jets goal to lead the club to a 5-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Friday...His empty net goal against the Avalanche snapped a string of nine straight Jets goals where he earned an assist, as Wheeler joined Wayne Gretzky as the only players in NHL history to assist on nine-or-more consecutive team goals...On Sunday, the Plymouth, Minn. native added another pair of assists to propel Winnipeg to a 5-2 victory over New Jersey...He is currently riding a 10-game point streak (2G, 17A)...On the season, Wheeler shares the NHL lead with 20 assists and is tied for fourth in the league with 23 points (3G, 20A) in 16 games played...This is the third time in his career that Wheeler has been selected in the NHL's Three Stars of the Week...Wheeler joins Mark Scheifele (Oct. 29 - Second Star) as members of the Jets that have earned NHL Three Stars of the Week honours this season.
Streaking
Defenceman Dustin Byfuglien had an assist on Sunday to extend his point streak to six consecutive games (1G, 7A)...It's the first stretch of games this season in which he has a point in consecutive games...Byfuglien also has an assist in five consecutive games (7A)...Nikolaj Ehlers is on a three-game point streak (3G, 1A), which includes scoring a goal in all three games.
VIEW THE FULL GAME NOTES
Lots of Contributions
Nine players had at least a point in Sunday's win, led by Mark Scheifele's three-point night (2G, 1A)...Blake Wheeler (2A) and Nikolaj Ehlers (1G, 1A) also had multi-point nights...Wheeler leads the Jets with six multi-point games this season and has multiple assists in four consecutive games.
Heating Up in November
After going 4-4-1 with a 3.00 goals-against average and .907 save percentage in October, goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has started all four games for the Jets in November, going 3-1-0 with a 2.52 goals-against average and .923 save percentage...He's stopped 62 of 66 shots through the first two games of the homestand for a .939 save percentage...Hellebuyck had a sub .900 save percentage in four of the six games in which the Jets were the home team prior to his homestand.