Vegas Golden Knights forward Paul Cotter continues to prove why he belongs as a full-time NHL forward.
Cotter took the preseason by storm and earned himself a spot with the big club after playing two seasons with the Henderson Silver Knights and just over a handful of games with Vegas last season.
After what was nearly a one-month stretch of being sat of the lineup early in the season, the young center has taken the opportunity and ran with it, bringing speed and size to a team that had lost a key forward with such qualities in Max Pacioretty.
The only real knock against Cotter is his consistency, which is to be expected of a rookie.
But as of late, he's showing signs of what could be a trend going forward.
Cotter has scored goals in back-to-back games after going scoreless for five-straight games during a stretch where almost the whole lineup was in a lull.
Prior to that drought, Cotter actually had a solid couple weeks in the month of January, scoring five points in seven games (Jan. 5 to Jan. 21).
Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said the key to Cotter's goals in the latest two wins were his ability to get inside.
"Both of them, he was inside, like he worked inside," Cassidy told the media Monday. "Kind of how [the Anaheim Ducks] scored their goal last night, their first one. He beat, I think it was, [Matt] Dumba to the inside ice in Minnesota. It was a big goal, so you got to work to get in there. Yesterday, he was going to the net for a rebound, again, working inside. He's a bigger guy, that's what we've asked out of him. We need a little more of that in our lineup mix. We talked about that at the start of the year, adding a few of those pieces. Losing Stoney [Mark Stone] hurts that part of our game, but Will's been good at it. Paul can bring that, too, and Amo [Michael Amadio], then make up for some of that loss."
Cotter and the Golden Knights will be back Thursday to take on the San Jose Sharks.
Follow along with VGK Today for live updates throughout the contest.
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