The NHL's top two seeds will meet for the first time this season when the Washington Capitals play host to the Winnipeg Jets in a marquee matchup tonight.
My Jets vs. Capitals predictions expect a competitive, lower-scoring affair with Connor Hellebuyck and Logan Thompson showcasing why they're leading the pack in the Vezina race.
My Jets analysis
The Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals have scored goals at will all season long, but they've also been the two best teams in limiting opposing offenses. I expect them to show why in this game.
Neither team likes to play fast. They can ramp up and play track-meet style when necessary, but their default style is to sustain pressure in the offensive zone and grind teams down until they make a mistake.
Both sides rank near the bottom of the league in 5-on-5 pace for the season, and they've only slowed things down further recently. The Jets sit 29th in pace over the last 10 games, while the Capitals are 28th.
We should see more methodical play build up rather than trading rush opportunities, which means chances will take time to develop.
When they do, shooters will have to beat the two best goalies in the NHL this season. Connor Hellebuyck is the runaway favorite to win the Vezina Trophy, and understandably so; he leads the NHL in games played and goals saved above expected.
Logan Thompson is the only goaltender whose numbers hold a candle to Hellebuyck's, albeit he's kept that company while splitting starts.
Thompson owns a 23-2-3 record and a .927 save percentage, and only Hellebuyck ranks higher in GSAE.
Hellebuyck and Thompson also hold the top two slots in Quality Start%. They are giving their team a chance to win more frequently than anybody else.
As good as they are, both teams continue to do a great job of supporting their goaltenders. The Jets and Capitals have allowed an average of fewer than 27 shots per game over the last 10.
They have also done excellent work on the penalty kill, with the Jets (sixth) and Capitals (third) both ranking near the top of the league on the penalty kill during that same span.
We haven't seen any movement on the moneyline as both teams are holding firm on their opening prices at Pinnacle.
The market is clearly not expecting offensive fireworks as the Over of 5.5 goals has shifted from +104 to +111.
Beyond the case I laid out above, both teams have played in more Unders than Overs and that holds especially true for the Capitals of late. Nine of their past 10 games have gone Under the total -- a trend I expect to continue Saturday night.