Knights react to forward’s crazy goal: ‘We’ll hear it until he retires’

There were 102 goals scored in the NHL on Tuesday, with the league putting together its second 16-game day in history.

Only two were showcased by ESPN, which debuted a new whip-around show called the “Frozen Frenzy” for the occasion, on its X account.

One was by Stanley Cup-, Conn Smythe- and Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Cale Makar of Colorado. The other was by Golden Knights left wing Paul Cotter. The Knights don’t expect to ever hear the end of it.

“Never,” goaltender Logan Thompson said. “The guy posts it on his Instagram story like every day, so we’ll hear it until he retires.”

The goal, which featured Cotter dancing around Philadelphia defenseman Egor Zamula with his backhand before scoring on his forehand, was more than a nifty bit of skill. It showcased the 23-year-old’s growth.

Cotter was benched for the final 9:16 of the second period with the Knights struggling for offense. The fact that the second-year forward came back in the third motivated to make a move like that was an encouraging sign of maturity.

“I don’t know last year if he would have had the presence of mind to stay in the game to do it,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I can’t say yes or no. I can say he did do it this year, so that’s a big positive.”

The Knights weren’t surprised Cotter had a play like that in his bag.

His skating and stickhandling ability with the puck have made him a standout in shootouts at practices and in games. According to the NHL’s player tracking data, Cotter’s top speed of 22.96 mph this season is in the league’s 98th percentile.

His burst in Tuesday’s game came at the right time. The Knights trailed for 34:47 before he tied the game 2-2 with 7:54 remaining. Defenseman Shea Theodore scored with 33 seconds left to improve the team’s record to 7-0-0.

“He’s a skilled player that can make skill plays,” Theodore said. “Sometimes you need one guy to make a move like that, which is pretty on par with what we see in practice, so it’s good to see him get it done in a game.”

What Cotter is still working on is the other aspects of his game.

He’s made an effort to be physical this season, as his 25 hits rank second in the NHL. But what he needs to continue to do is improve his consistency game to game and shift to shift when it comes to little details such as defensive positioning and board battles.

Tuesday was a major test in that regard. Cotter sat on the bench for almost half a period because Cassidy shortened his rotation to nine forwards in search of a spark. It would have been easy for Cotter’s mind to wander, his focus to drift. It didn’t. He stepped up when given another opportunity in the third.

“As soon as he called my name, I was ready to go,” Cotter said.

The 2018 fourth-round pick has two goals and three assists through seven games. It’s an upward trend from last season, when he had 13 goals and five assists in 55 games while finding himself a frequent healthy scratch.

Cassidy said sitting Cotter hasn’t been a consideration this season. Games like Thursday’s, and the highlights that came from it, are a clear-cut case for why it shouldn’t be.

“I’d say, yeah, you kind of get a little edge on your shoulder (when the bench gets shortened),” Cotter said. “If it happens, stay ready and explode out as soon as you get the chance.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.