The big question is why? Is this just an inevitable slump which comes with the territory in an 82-game grind? Is it a rise in play from the other team's around the NHL which historically comes after the all-star break? Is it a combination of both?

This six-game road trip began on Jan. 30 th with a win in Calgary and the team is 3-2-0 heading into San Jose for the final game of the swing. Anything better than .500 on the road is acceptable, but there have been gaps in the team's game not often seen in the first 48 games of the season.

January was a strong month for the Golden Knights as they went 7-3-2 to add to their lead in the Western Conference. Vegas owns a 35-14-5 mark for 74 points.

The saying goes, "never critique a win," and in the immediate aftermath of a victory it makes good sense. But - ah, there's always a but isn't there - it's fair to look at a sample of games and judge a team's overall play. And, right now, despite winning three of their last five, it's clear to see the Vegas Golden Knights are not playing their best hockey.

It's unreasonable to expect Vegas or any team to cruise through a season without any bumps.

Injuries and a tough schedule are currently taking their toll. Will Carrier, Tomas Nosek, Luca Sbisa and Jon Merrill are all missed right now. GM George McPhee hasn't had much time to develop organizational depth and taking four regulars out of the picture has put the squeeze on Vegas. Every team Vegas has faced on this road trip is currently in a playoff position. There have been no soft spots.

Adversity is part of pro hockey just like it is in any walk of life. How it's handled by both individuals and as a team is the key to how a season unfolds and finishes. Stay tuned.

Without further delay, here is the latest installment of our semi-regular trip around the VGK globe.

1. One of the constants for the Golden Knights this season has been the fourth line and that has been true on this road trip. Center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare along with wingers Ryan Carpenter and the now injured Will Carrier have been excellent and team leaders in Corsi For % over the last five games. Carrier (66.67%), Bellemare (62%) and Carpenter (58.82%). They've been effective on both sides of the puck. Shots with Bellemare on the ice at 5v5 have been 33-20 on this trip and goals are 3-3. All three have been on the ice for over 63% scoring-chance-for percentages. Carrier drew 3 penalties and had 19 hits before getting hurt.

Video: VGK@PIT: Carpenter strikes on a rebound in front

2. January was a good month for Vegas as they ranked second league-wide in 5v5 CF% behind only Boston. The team built a win-loss record of 7-3-2 and finished with the fourth best goal differential (+12) in the month.

3. The inconsistencies seen so far in February have seen the team's 5v5 numbers slip. Vegas is 13th in the league this month in 5v5 CF% and the team has been outscored 12-6 on 5v5.

4. Special teams have picked up for Vegas of late. Since December 8th, the Golden Knights are third in the league in special teams goal differential, having scored 19 goals on the powerplay/penalty kill and allowed only eight.

In that stretch, the Vegas PK is No. 1 at 90.3%, having allowed 7 GA. The PP has been on fire over the last eight games operating at 55 % with 11 goals on 20 opportunities.

5. The recent uptick in special teams has seen Vegas climb quickly in the overall league rankings. The PK was 27th in the league on December 7th and is now fourth.

6. The PP was 24th in the league on January 20, and it now ranks 10th.

7. The rise in the PK comes from elite goaltending and shot suppression. Before December 8th, the Golden Knights were allowing 98.92 shot attempts per 60 minutes of power play time coupled with an .847 save percentage on the PK. Since then, Vegas is allowing 93.32 shot attempts per 60 minutes (sixth in the league) and has received an astronomical .939 SV% on the PK (second in the league). This save percentage will likely regress, but the shot suppression and the significant sample of success suggest Vegas has excellent penalty killers.

8. The PP since January 21st meanwhile is generating shots at an incredible rate of 144.6 CF/60 (first in the league) and has benefitted from a 23.68 shooting percentage. Again, the shooting percentage will likely drop but the shot generation on the PP is an excellent sign and bodes well for overall consistency.

9. William Karlsson scored his 28th goal of the season on Tuesday night and continues to rack up the points. Karlsson's shooting percentage is still cranking high at 24.8 percent. The shooting percentage was supposed to have plummeted by now but that just hasn't happened.

Video: VGK@PIT: Karlsson strikes early with big one-timer

10. The entire Karlsson line continues to speed along with wingers Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault having excellent seasons. Marchessault leads Vegas with 52 points and Smith sits fourth with 43 points. They have the most 5v5 goals for in the league (35) and are tied for second among lines with a +18 5v5 goal differential.

11. Smith has four goals and seven points in his last five games. He and Karlsson both kill penalties and the line is among the best in the NHL in 5v5 situations. Shouldn't Karlsson have some Selke buzz?