First: increase the points

The Kraken have now taken nine out of a possible 12 points in their last six games. It’s no coincidence that the team’s power play success has increased along with its 4-1-1 record against playoff contenders and/or postseason stars. The official power play success rate during this stretch is 35.7, which is roughly double Seattle’s mark through the first 25 games of the season. Vince Dunn’s return to the power play certainly made the difference. Coach Dan Bylsma’s goal is the second goal in Thursday’s decisive 5-1 win over Boston, a power play goal of sorts; Jaden Schwartz’s vicious backhand shot into the top corner scored just four seconds after the end of the power play.

The second goal wasn’t a power play goal, but you only have so many options on the power play in games,” Bylsma said after the game. “It came right after our third power play (in the first period). In my opinion, it’s a power play (with Tampa Bay forward penalized and Liberty Lake, WA native Tyler Johnson not back in the game). Those two early goals were huge.”

Second: Wright On, same goes for Björkstrand and Tolvanen

The Eeli Tolvanen-Shane Wright-Oliver Björkstrand line seems to be even more synchronized and scored a dream goal straight out of a picture book in the third period. It started with Wright keeping the puck in the Boston end by winning puck battles along the right sidewall. Seconds later, Wright was behind the goal line to assist Tolvanen, who won his own puck battle and moved the puck to Wright, who quickly set up Björkstrand in the high spot for the Danish forward’s second and 11th goals of the night^Th of the season (now tied with Jared McCann). Additionally, Björkstrand rolled to score after being under the goal line himself to assist with the forecheck. Björkstrand has scored five goals in his last five games and Wright’s record in the 10 games since his reset is 6-5-11.

“This line feeds off each other,” Bylsma said. “Wrighter benefits from the stability of Tolvi and Oliver (as linemates). They feed off the physicality that Tolvi brings with him every night. This allows this line to be a good offensive zone line. I saw them talking to each other off the ice and going over their game. As a group, they are more engaged.”

Third, know the opponent: Tampa Bay 5-4-1 in the last 10 games

Tampa Bay appears to be finding its rhythm on a four-game road trip that ends Saturday in Seattle, with wins over Vancouver (4-2) and Calgary (8-3) and a 2-1 loss in Edmonton. The TBL stat totals, if underestimated, are staggering. Brayden Points has 19 goals and Brandon Hagel has 13 and 20 assists. Nikita Kucherov scored his 14th goal and added five assists (not a typo) in Calgary on Thursday, setting a franchise record, and now has 30 assists this season. Jake Guentzel had a hat trick on Thursday and is averaging a points per game rate, including 16 goals, in his first year in TBL. All that and goalkeeper Andrei Vasilevskiy is looking like his elite self again after early season struggles. With Philipp Grubauer being the first goalie to leave the ice during the morning skate and Joey Daccord missing for a longer training session, it looks like Grubauer will go first, following Dan Bylsma’s best game of the season (5-1 vs. Boston). comes home. Game Thursday.