Matthew Tkachuk has a simple explanation for his six-game point streak, during which he has scored five goals and added 10 assists.
“Sometimes the puck finds you,” Tkachuk said.
Lately, Tkachuk has made it seem easy, as he has helped the Florida Panthers, the defending Stanley Cup champions, earn points in six straight games (5-0-1). They will face the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night.
Tkachuk has registered multiple points in each of his last four games.
“His hands are just on fire right now, he’s done some great things with the puck,” said Panthers coach Paul Maurice. “There are other parts of his game that drive us. He has been on a pretty good heater but has been really good his past six.”
Tkachuk scored twice, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves in Florida’s 3-1 win against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. This win marked Maurice’s 111th with the Panthers, making him the franchise leader for coaching victories.
“It was pretty much a complete game for us,” said captain Aleksander Barkov, who scored Florida’s other goal. “I think we did the right things. … Whenever they got their chances, (Bobrovsky) was there for us and kept us in the game. It was a good game by us.”
Tuesday’s game is the start of a five-game road trip for the Panthers, who currently lead the Atlantic Division. They will also play in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Minnesota.
The Kraken return home after going 3-1-0 on a road trip to Carolina, New Jersey, and New York (against both the Islanders and Rangers).
Seattle defeated the Rangers 7-5 on Sunday, with Oliver Bjorkstrand scoring two goals and adding two assists.
Eeli Tolvanen had a goal and two assists, and Shane Wright contributed one goal and one assist. Chandler Stephenson and Matty Beniers each added two assists. Goalie Philipp Grubauer made 32 saves, securing his first win in his last seven starts dating back to October.
“You’re always trying to find ways to get confidence,” Bjorkstrand said. “We’re playing some good teams, so winning three of four is a pretty good road trip. We definitely feel good about ourselves, but we can’t be too satisfied. We still have a lot of work to do. … We want to go home and keep going in that direction.”
The Kraken’s third line of Bjorkstrand, Wright, and Tolvanen combined for nine points.
“I think we’ve been able to gain some chemistry,” Bjorkstrand said. “We’ve done that for some games now, so it’s just building on it. I think we’re getting really comfortable with where the pucks are going and where other guys are going to be. … A lot of good stuff.”
The Kraken scored three goals in a 5:18 span late in the second period to take a 4-3 lead.
“When we’re at our best, we’re playing fast, physical, and simple,” Kraken forward Brandon Tanev said. “Everyone’s on the same page. Those things all add up in a 60-minute game.”
