Colorado Avalanche host Los Angeles Kings in NHL Playoffs opener

The Western Conference first-round series begins Sunday in Denver.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 8:10am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting a hockey game between the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings. Sharp, overlapping geometric planes in the teams' colors create a dynamic, abstract composition.The Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings clash in a cubist-inspired illustration as they begin their first-round NHL playoff series.Denver Today

The Colorado Avalanche, the top seed in the Western Conference, will host the Los Angeles Kings in the opening game of their first-round NHL playoff series on Sunday. The Avalanche went 3-0 against the Kings during the regular season and are favored to win the series, but the Kings have been playing well lately and could pose a challenge.

Why it matters

This series features a matchup between two of the Western Conference's top teams. The Avalanche are the defending Stanley Cup champions and are looking to repeat, while the Kings are hoping to make a deep playoff run after a strong regular season. The outcome of this series could set the tone for the rest of the Western Conference playoffs.

The details

The Avalanche finished the regular season with a 55-16-11 record, the best in the Western Conference. They were led by top performers Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas. The Kings, meanwhile, went 35-27-20 and are led by Artemi Panarin and Adrian Kempe. Colorado won all three regular season meetings between the teams.

  • The series opener is scheduled for Sunday, April 18, 2026 at 3 p.m. EDT in Denver.
  • The Avalanche and Kings last met on March 2, 2026, with Colorado winning 4-2.

The players

Nathan MacKinnon

The star center for the Colorado Avalanche, he had 5 goals and 5 assists in the team's last 10 regular season games.

Artemi Panarin

The veteran winger for the Los Angeles Kings, he had 28 goals and 56 assists in the regular season.

Adrian Kempe

The Kings' leading goal scorer, he had 10 goals and 3 assists in the team's last 10 games.

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What they’re saying

“We must be ready for a tough battle against the Kings. They've had a great season and will be a formidable opponent.”

— Jared Bednar, Head Coach, Colorado Avalanche

“This is the moment we've been working towards all season. We're excited for the challenge of facing the Avalanche.”

— Todd McLellan, Head Coach, Los Angeles Kings

What’s next

Game 2 of the series will be played on Tuesday, April 20, 2026 in Denver.

The takeaway

This first-round matchup between the Avalanche and Kings features two talented teams with high-powered offenses. Colorado is the favorite, but Los Angeles has the potential to pull off an upset if they can contain the Avalanche's top scorers and get strong goaltending.