2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Western Conference Final vs. COL
The Golden Knights swept the presidents trophy winning Colorado Avalanche, becoming just the second team in NHL history to accomplish the feat. Vegas was crowned the Western Conference Champions following the 2-1 Game 4 win, earning their third trip to the Stanley Cup Final in the franchise’s nine year history.
Vegas took Game 1 on the road, 4-2, behind 36 saves from Carter Hart and a tally from four different Golden Knights. Dylan Coghlan opened the scoring with his first career goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, then Pavel Dorofeyev made it a 2-0 game before the end of the second period. Colorado got one back in the third period before Brett Howden scored the eventual game winner on the rush after batting down a rebound and tapping it home on the rush. The Avalanche made it a one-goal game again in the final frame, but a late empty-netter from Nic Dowd sealed the Golden Knights’ Game 1 win.
Chance and the rest of the VGK Cast joined fans at Lee’s Family Forum for the Game 1 watch party and celebrated the win.
The Golden Knights followed up with another road win in Game 2 to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the series, led by a pair of goals from Ivan Barbashev. Colorado grabbed the first lead of the game and took a 1-0 advantage into the third period before Vegas mounted the comeback. Jack Eichel netted the equalizer, firing a wrister on the rush to tie the game at one. Just over two minutes later, Eichel fed Barbashev between the circles, where he ripped one between the pipes for the game winner. Barbashev followed up with an empty-netter to close the door and help Vegas take both games in Ball Arena.
After returning home to T-Mobile Arena, Vegas completed their first three-goal comeback in franchise playoff history to claim Game 3 and go up 3-0 in the Western Conference Final. Colorado established a 3-0 lead in the opening frame before Vegas poured in five unanswered goals through the final 40 minutes. After starting the second period on the power play, captain Mark Stone potted on just 19 seconds into the frame to get the Golden Knights on the board. William Karlsson scored his first goal this postseason shortly after, gathering a loose rebound in the slot and burying it to get Vegas within one. Keegan Kolesar tied it at three, tipping a point shot off the post and finishing it with a backhand for his first tally of the 2026 playoffs. Tomas Hertl scored his first playoff game-winner with Vegas in the final frame, getting the puck in stride and dancing around the Colorado defender before going to his backhand to put the Golden Knights up for good. Brett Howden finished it off with a late empty-net goal to complete the 5-3 comeback win.
Mark Stone gave Vegas the first lead of the night as he caught a high-flip pass from Brayden McNabb and beat the netminder with a backhand-forehand move on the breakaway just under five minutes into the contest.
After a scoreless second period, Cole Smith scored the eventual game winner, redirected Dylan Coghlan’s point shot through the five-hole of Colorado’s goaltender to put the Golden Knights up 2-0. Colorado came within one, scoring a goal with just over two minutes left in the game, but Vegas held strong for the final two minutes to seal the 2-1 win and series sweep of the Avalanche.
After the game, the team gathered on their ice alongside the Clarence S. Campbell trophy, celebrating their Western Conference Final win and punched ticket to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.
By Kevin Kelly
