Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Cotter scores winner in SO, Golden Knights open road trip with 3-2 win in Columbus

Golden Knights Blue Jackets

Jay LaPrete / AP

Vegas Golden Knights’ Logan Thompson, left, makes a save against Columbus Blue Jackets’ Boone Jenner during the second period Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio.

Updated Monday, Nov. 28, 2022 | 8:25 p.m.

Vegas Golden Knights at Columbus Blue Jackets

Vegas Golden Knights' Brett Howden, right, tries to skate past Columbus Blue Jackets' Vladislav Gavrikov during the first period Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. 


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After making a save in the seventh round of the shootout, goalie Logan Thompson signaled to the bench '4-3' with his hands.

Then, Paul Cotter took to the ice, and he did the rest like he's done many times before.

No. 43 skated down the middle of the ice, dangled from right to left and scored the deciding goal in the shootout to give the Golden Knights a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Monday.

After losing by a combined 9-3 in back-to-back home games this past weekend against Seattle and Vancouver, Vegas (17-6-1) opened its four-game road trip by improving to a league-best 10-1-1 on the road.

It's all thanks to the rookie forward who was begging for a goal after going scoreless the last eight games. This one won't go on the stat sheet, but its importance will mean just as much.

"I knew it was coming," Cotter told AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain after the game. "A few of the guys were saying my name. It's something I take pride in. It might be silly, but it's a big part of the game when it comes down to it."

It was the first time the Golden Knights went to a shootout this season, which brought up nightmares from the end of last season. Vegas' playoff chances dwindled away after three consecutive shootouts in which the Golden Knights went a combined 0-for-17, and goaltender Logan Thompson carried two of them into the seventh round.

After Columbus' Gustav Nyquist scored in the first round and Vegas missed its first two attempts that each hit the post, Jonathan Marchessault kept the game alive with the tying goal in the bottom of the third.

Thompson made 26 saves and won his 12th game of the season. This win was his sixth on the road in November, tied for the second most ever in league history by a goalie, and will finish one shy of tying the mark set by the late Ray Emery.

"I like shootouts," Thompson said. "Just staying dialed in. I was determined not to let a goal in, and I knew we were going to put one in."

The Golden Knights had a 2-0 lead in the first period after their two Williams got on the board once again. William Karlsson scored while on his knees on a second attempt to open the scoring at 15:59.

Just 56 seconds later, William Carrier scored his eighth goal of the year, and fourth in five games, for the two-goal lead. Carrier is one goal shy of tying his career-high that he set last season.

Columbus answered with one area that's plagued the Golden Knights over the last nine games: Getting hemmed into their own zone.

The Blue Jackets cut the lead in half at 13:50 of the second period — following a shift that lasted nearly two minutes — when Johnny Gaudreau scored on a one-timer from the right circle.

Gaudreau, Columbus' prized free-agent acquisition from this summer, helped in the tying goal midway through the third when captain Boone Jenner pushed the loose puck across the goal line.

The Golden Knights were already down defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who missed the game due to personal reasons. They lost leading scorer Jack Eichel early in the third period when he took a shot attempt from teammate Nic Hague off the left side of his face.

Eichel hurried down the tunnel but later returned to the game for overtime.

Eichel hasn't scored in his last three games, but nearly won the game in the extra frame when he had a chance at the left circle, but hit the post. His shootout attempt in the second round also rang off the crossbar.

"Lots of urgency," coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Let's face it: Their top guys outplayed our top guys at 5-on-5, and we weren't great on the power play, either. I think Jack took it to heart when he came back, and he wanted to be a difference maker."

It wasn't the prettiest of games from the Golden Knights, but it was a win they needed coming out of the weekend. In the remainder of the road trip, Vegas will visit three quality offensive teams capable of maintaining offensive pressure.

At least the Golden Knights have a secret weapon to turn to if they go to a shootout.

"I've kind of been in my head the past few games, a little worried," Cotter said. "At the end of the day, we're in the NHL. You've got to have some fun with it."

Danny Webster can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Danny on Twitter at twitter.com/DannyWebster21.