"More Effective O-Zone Time" The Key To Turning Around VGK's 5-on-5 Troubles - SinBin.vegas

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Photo Credit: Ken Boehlke, SinBin.vegas

As we head towards Game 6 and what will be a pivotal game on the Golden Knights' championship defending season, all eyes are on Vegas's ability to put the puck in the net at 5-on-5.

In five games, the Golden Knights have scored just seven goals at 5-on-5. Four of them came in the two games Vegas won to open the series. There's no way around it, if the Golden Knights want their season to continue tonight, they must generate more offense.

It starts with spending more time in the offensive zone.

We need more effective O-Zone time. We need more time by winning more races and battles and getting out of those swarms quicker with appropriate support. And then we need to be better on recovering shots that do go towards the net. We need to be better at executing the next pass. -Bruce Cassidy

The first step to creating that time is getting the puck in deep and working to get it back.

We wanted to establish forecheck presence and pressure on them no matter who was in the lineup whether they were using 4, 5, or 6 guys because we feel it can be effective for us. And it limits them getting back up the ice. Like Heiskanen, Harley, and Lundkvist, if he's in there, they are good at getting up the ice and supporting the rush. -Cassidy

Dallas using only five defensemen for most of the games this series has been something on the surface that looks like Vegas can exploit, but Cassidy doesn't see it that way. At least not yet.

Every coach has a different philosophy on it, I think shortening your bench over time you probably have to manage that as you go but we're in the first series. -Cassidy

For Cassidy though, he doesn't feel as down in the dumps about the offense as most. After going through the film, especially Game 5, he believes the goals are there for Vegas.

When we're watching it, we're this close to executing some of those plays that are going to make the difference in goals. We've seen it. There were at least six the other night that if we're on we're making those plays and then the onus falls on the goaltender to make that save. We're not shaking our head like we can't generate anything, we can't make that last pass. Why? Credit to them. They're a good defensive team and have sticks in the lanes. Or, we're just not making it. At some point we need to make it. We have done it in some of the games, we just need to do it more frequently. -Cassidy

All in all, it comes down to the best Golden Knights getting the job done when it is their turn to do so. Take care of the puck, make the right pass, hit the net with your shot. Play great hockey.

The responsibility is on us to play better, and execute at the right times, and play the right way and take care of the details. It's not pressure. That's what's in front of us. The responsibility is on us to do those things if we want to advance. That's kind of it. -Cassidy

It's been pretty easy to speak about the shortcomings, taking action has been a lot more difficult.