Kings face uphill battle against Avalanche in NHL playoffs

Colorado is the Stanley Cup favorite, but the underdog Kings have a few paths to an unlikely upset

Apr. 18, 2026 at 10:13pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the action and energy of a hockey game between the Kings and Avalanche, with sharp geometric shapes and planes of color representing the players, puck, and arena.The Kings' underdog playoff matchup against the powerhouse Avalanche promises an intense, unpredictable clash of styles and emotions.Boston Today

The Los Angeles Kings have clinched a playoff spot but face a daunting first-round matchup against the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche, who boast the league's best offense and defense. The Kings will need to overcome the Avalanche's historical dominance as Presidents' Trophy winners, find secondary scoring beyond their top stars, and get unexpected goaltending heroics to have a chance at the upset.

Why it matters

The Kings' playoff appearance is a surprise after a mediocre regular season, but they now face the unenviable task of taking down the Stanley Cup favorite Avalanche. A Kings victory would be a massive upset and a feel-good story, while a loss would continue a troubling trend of Presidents' Trophy winners failing to win the Stanley Cup in the salary cap era.

The details

The Avalanche won the Presidents' Trophy with 121 points, the sixth-highest total since the 2004-05 lockout. However, history is not on their side, as only two Presidents' Trophy winners have gone on to win the Stanley Cup in that span. The Kings will need secondary scoring beyond stars Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty, as well as unexpected goaltending heroics from Anton Forsberg, who has never appeared in a playoff game. The Avalanche, meanwhile, have struggled in recent first-round exits despite their regular season dominance.

  • The Kings clinched a playoff spot in the final week of the regular season.
  • Game 1 of the first-round series between the Kings and Avalanche is on Sunday, April 23 at noon.

The players

Anze Kopitar

The Kings' veteran captain and leading scorer, who is playing in potentially his final NHL postseason.

Drew Doughty

The Kings' star defenseman and two-time Stanley Cup champion, who will be crucial to the team's upset hopes.

Anton Forsberg

The Kings' starting goaltender for the playoffs, who has never appeared in an NHL postseason game.

Gabriel Landeskog

The Avalanche's captain, who returned from a long-term injury to provide an emotional lift for the team.

Artemi Panarin

The Avalanche's star forward, known as the 'Bread Man', who will be a key part of their offensive attack.

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What they’re saying

“The Kings have done a little giant-killing of their own, and Anže Kopitar, Drew Doughty and assistant coach Matt Greene were there for it. They knocked off the pace-car Vancouver Canucks in 2012 as an opening-round springboard to the franchise's first championship.”

— Andrew Knoll, Author

“Sometimes, being hot and getting lucky can trump playing well, and Forsberg's recent performance could offer the Kings a puncher's chance.”

— Andrew Knoll, Author

What’s next

The Kings will need to steal at least one game on the road in Colorado to have a chance in the series. If they can do that, the pressure will shift to the Avalanche to avoid another first-round upset.

The takeaway

The Kings' playoff appearance is a surprise, but they face a daunting task in taking down the Presidents' Trophy-winning Avalanche. While Colorado is the heavy favorite, the Kings have a few paths to an unlikely upset, including getting unexpected goaltending heroics, secondary scoring, and capitalizing on the Avalanche's recent playoff struggles as a dominant regular season team.