Kraken (15-14-2) vs. Lightning (15-10-2) | 19:00

One: Reinforcement of points

The Kraken have now earned nine out of a possible 12 points in their last six matches. It’s no coincidence that the squad’s power play success has increased along with the 4-1-1 record against playoff contenders and/or postseason mainstays. The official power play percentage of success during this stretch is 35.7, nearly double Seattle’s mark over the first 25 games of the season. Vince Dunn’s return to the power play has certainly been a difference maker. Coach Dan Bylsma’s take is the second goal in Thursday’s decisive 5-1 win over Boston as a kind of power play goal; Jaden Schwartz’s vicious backhand shot into the top corner scored just four seconds after the power play ended.

The second wasn’t a powerplay goal, but you only get so many opportunities on the powerplay in games,” Bylsma said after the game. “It came right after our third power play (in the first period). I count is a power play (with the penalty Tampa Bay forward and Liberty Lake, WA, native Tyler Johnson not back in the play). That was huge with the two early goals. “

Two: Wright On, Same for Bjorkstrand and Tolvanen

The Eeli Tolvanen-Shane Wright-Oliver Bjorkstrand line continues to look even more in sync, scoring a textbook goal 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 support Tolvanen, who won his own puck battle, and moved the puck to Wright, who quickly set up Bjorkstrand in the high post for the Danish forward’s second goal of the night and 11th.^th the season (now tied with Jared McCann). Plus, Bjorkstrand had rolled into the scoring after being under the goal line himself to help on the forecheck. Bjorkstrand has five goals in his last five games and Wright’s streak is 6-5-11 in the ten games since his reset.

“That line feeds off each other,” Bylsma said. “The stability of Tolvi and Oliver (as linemates) is something Wrighter thrives on. They live off the physicality Tolvi brings every night. It allows that line to be a good offensive zone line. I’ve seen them off the ice, talking to each other, going over their game. They are more engaged as a group.”

Three: Know the enemy: Tampa Bay 5-4-1 in last 10 games

Tampa Bay looks to find its groove on a four-game road trip that ends in Seattle on Saturday, beating Vancouver (4-2) and Calgary (8-3) while falling 2-1 at Edmonton in between. The TBL stats are eye-popping to understate that. Brayden Points has 19 goals and Brandon Hagel has 13 and 20 assists. Nikita Kucherov scored his 14th goal Thursday in Calgary and added five assists (not a typo), tying a franchise record and now has 30 assists on the season. Jake Guentzel had a hat trick Thursday and is scoring at a point-per-game clip in his first year with the TBL, including 16 goals. All that, plus goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy looks like his elite self after early season struggles. With Philipp Grubauer the first goaltender off the ice at the morning skate and Joey Daccord out for an extended practice, Grubauer looks set to hit the ground running and is coming off his best game (5-1 over Boston) of the season according to Dan Bylsma post-match Thursday.