Was Matthew trying to make a connection between Elisha and Jesus after the deaths of their respective precursors?

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Background

When Elijah died, Elisha succeeded Elijah and performed a miracle to cross the Jordan river, and the people watching said he had Elijah’s spirit as Kings 2:15 (NIV) says:

The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

When Herod heard of Jesus’ miracles, Herod thought that Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead as Matthew 14:1-2 (NIV) says:

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

Question

In describing Herod’s response to reports of Jesus, Matthew seems to be making a connection to the response of the prophets of 2 Kings after their witness of Elisha’s miracle of crossing the Jordan. The connection would be that just as Elisha was said to have the spirit of Elijah, his precursor, Jesus was said to have the spirit of John the Baptist, his precursor.

Is there a connection there? And to what extent do you think that connection was intentional on Matthew’s part? If there is an intentional connection, what point would Matthew be trying to tell his audience?