Avalanche Seek Stanley Cup Revenge Against Struggling Kings

Colorado looks to continue dominant run as Los Angeles squeaks into playoffs

Apr. 18, 2026 at 4:14am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game with overlapping planes of color, representing the clash between Colorado's offensive firepower and Los Angeles' defensive structure.The Avalanche's star-studded lineup looks to overpower the Kings' stifling defense in a first-round playoff clash.Denver Today

The Colorado Avalanche, the NHL's top overall seed, take on the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Avalanche are heavy favorites after a historic regular season, while the Kings barely made the playoffs despite a league-high 20 overtime losses.

Why it matters

The Avalanche are seeking their second Stanley Cup championship in franchise history, having won it all in 2025. They are led by superstar duo Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, who are looking to cement their legacies. Meanwhile, the Kings are hoping to pull off a massive upset and extend their playoff run, despite struggling mightily in the regular season.

The details

Colorado finished first in both total goals scored and total goals allowed, an incredible feat. MacKinnon won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 53 goals, while Makar recorded 79 points for his fifth straight point-per-game season. The Avalanche are deep, with Martin Necas and a strong defensive corps complementing their offensive stars. In contrast, the Kings squeaked into the playoffs despite a league-high 20 overtime losses, relying on a stifling defense led by Drew Doughty to mask their lackluster offense.

  • Game 1 of the series is scheduled for Sunday, April 19 at 3 p.m. ET.
  • The Avalanche won the top overall seed in the NHL for the fifth straight year.

The players

Nathan MacKinnon

The Avalanche's superstar center won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 53 goals and 127 total points.

Cale Makar

The two-time Norris Trophy winner recorded 79 points for his fifth straight point-per-game season.

Drew Doughty

The veteran defenseman is the backbone of the Kings' stifling blue line.

Adrian Kempe

The Kings' leading scorer with over 50 points, Kempe will need to step up offensively for Los Angeles.

Scott Wedgewood

The Avalanche goaltender led the league in save percentage and goals against average.

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What they’re saying

“This Avs team is a wagon. No other way to put it.”

— Charlie Cummings, Sports Writer

“To put it mildly, the Los Angeles Kings are lucky to be here. The Pacific Division was a hot mess this season; the top seed in the Pac wouldn't have cracked the top three in the Central Division.”

— Charlie Cummings, Sports Writer

What’s next

The winner of this series will advance to the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The takeaway

This matchup pits the NHL's best team against a struggling squad that barely squeaked into the playoffs. While the Kings will look to pull off a massive upset, the Avalanche's depth, star power, and dominant regular season make them heavy favorites to advance.