US Edition
Colorado Avalanche Draw Los Angeles Kings in First Round of Stanley Cup Playoffs
Colorado set a franchise record with 121 points and the league’s fewest goals allowed, then drew Los Angeles after a strong Kings finish.
- The Colorado Avalanche will face the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, starting Sunday at 1 p.m. MT at Ball Arena in Denver.
- After a franchise-record 121-point season, Colorado earned the Presidents' Trophy, while the Kings secured the final playoff spot in the West with a late-season surge.
- Winning all three regular-season matchups, Colorado established a clear advantage over Los Angeles, including a 5-2 victory on December 29, 2025.
- Betting markets list the Avalanche as heavy favorites with futures odds in the-450 to-600 range, while the Kings are sizable underdogs at +340 to +450.
- Kings captain Anze Kopitar enters his final postseason run before retirement, while the Avalanche pursue their fourth Stanley Cup title since 1996.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Associated Press News
Colorado faces LA in first round as Kings captain Anze Kopitar embarks on final Stanley Cup chase
Forward Anze Kopitar has finished his last regular season with the Los Angeles Kings. The captain looks to extend his final playoff run for as long as possible.
Washington Top News
Colorado and Los Angeles face off to begin the NHL Playoffs
Los Angeles Kings (35-27-20, in the Pacific Division) vs. Colorado Avalanche (55-16-11, in the Central Division) Denver; Sunday, 3 p.m. EDT LINE: Avalanche -264, Kings +214; over/under is 5.5 NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Avalanche host series opener BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche host the Los Angeles Kings to begin the Western Conference first round. The teams meet Monday for the fourth time this season. The Avalanche went 3-0 against the King…
The Los Angeles Kings lost the final game of the first part of the NHL season in Calgary, and will face Colorado in the first round of the playoffs on Sunday.
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