3 takeaways from Knights’ preseason win: Cotter completes comeback
Paul Cotter punched his right fist through the air and kicked his right skate up.
The go-ahead goal he scored with 1:17 remaining against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday at T-Mobile Arena technically doesn’t count. But it sure didn’t feel like it in the moment.
Cotter, who’s been attempting to secure his lineup spot all camp, put home a rebound to complete a three-goal, third-period comeback for the Knights in their penultimate preseason game.
They trailed 3-0 in the second and 3-1 to start the third, but rallied to beat the Avalanche 4-3 for their second exhibition win in six tries.
“We’re a great team five-on-five, and it showed tonight,” right wing Jonathan Marchessault said. “We didn’t give much (up) five-on-five, and we played well overall. I’m pretty happy. Good teams find a way to win, and tonight we found a way to win.”
The Knights, playing their best available lineup for the first time, were sluggish to start. They appeared a step slow compared to the Avalanche and took four first-period penalties.
The 2023 Stanley Cup winners appeared to grow into the game as play continued against the 2022 champs, however.
Center Nicolas Roy got the Knights on the board 8:48 into the second period to snap the team’s preseason scoring drought of 89:16. Left wing Pavel Dorofeyev cut the deficit to 3-2 right after a faceoff 5:58 into the third.
Marchessault tied the game by deflecting a point shot from defenseman Shea Theodore with 7:57 remaining in regulation, setting up Cotter’s heroics.
The go-ahead goal felt like it was coming. The Knights were buzzing throughout the final frame, with the announced crowd of 17,539 providing regular-season energy down the stretch.
Cotter made it happen by knocking a puck loose from defenseman Bowen Byram on the forecheck. It ended up on the stick of captain Mark Stone, who slipped a backhand pass to center Chandler Stephenson. Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev made the initial save, but Cotter was there planted in front of the net for the rebound.
The 23-year-old slammed it home, making his case for a spot in the opening-night lineup as loudly as possible.
“I had a little fire,” Cotter said. “I wasn’t too happy with how I was playing, and pucks weren’t finding my way. Obviously, it’s a big camp for a lot of guys so wanted to make sure I made an impact.”
The Knights still have one preseason game Saturday in Los Angeles before the games count for real.
Here are three takeaways from the win:
1. Injuries mount
The Knights, while wanting to treat Thursday’s game as a dress rehearsal, were without several key players.
Defenseman Zach Whitecloud is out week-to-week after the team announced he had surgery because of an upper-body injury. Whitecloud absorbed a hit from Avalanche left wing Kurtis MacDermid during his fourth shift of the preseason Sept. 25 and was injured after going into the boards.
“He’ll be back,” Cassidy said. “This isn’t something that we’re looking for a long-term replacement. He’s just going to have to heal and take his time.”
Defenseman Alec Martinez also didn’t play Thursday because of an upper-body injury. Cassidy said he doesn’t believe Martinez’s injury is “anything long-term,” but the veteran is unlikely to appear in Saturday’s preseason finale.
Center William Karlsson remains out as well with an undisclosed injury he’s been dealing with in camp. Cassidy said he thinks Karlsson “will be fine next week” when the Knights begin their season.
2. Special-teams battle
One product of the Knights’ early parade to the box is they got plenty of work on their penalty kill.
They had issues against the Avalanche’s high-powered units, going 3-for-5 on the night. Center Ryan Johansen scored on a deflection from 16 feet out on Colorado’s first opportunity, and center Nathan MacKinnon scored off a one-timer on his team’s fifth.
The Knights at least got a few rounds of power-play practice of their own.
They finished 0-for-3 with three shots. They created quality chances their third time out, but Cassidy felt the team started slow on their first opportunity in the first period.
“We didn’t finish, got outscored on it 2-0 tonight but still won the game, so that’s the positive in terms of us getting the win,” Cassidy said. “I’d like to see us be cleaner earlier on it because we don’t get that many and you don’t want to waste one, but that’s how it played out tonight.”
3. Fourth line does its thing
Cassidy, in his search for a replacement at third-line left wing for Reilly Smith, has had the option of moving left wing William Carrier up the lineup.
He has hesitated because of how well Carrier clicks with linemates Roy and Keegan Kolesar. Thursday was another example of the chemistry that trio has.
The line flipped the ice all night. The Knights finished with a 9-6 edge in shot attempts when the three were on the ice at five-on-five, according to the website Natural Stat Trick.
Roy got the Knights on the board, and Carrier also drew two penalties.
“I think when we play our best hockey, we’re three big guys that like to protect pucks and bring pucks to the net,” Roy said. “I think we were able to do that tonight.”
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on X.