NHL 26 Simulation Delivers Shocking Avalanche vs Kings First-Round Projection
An NHL 26 simulation paints a ruthless picture of Colorado’s first-round matchup, projecting a four-game sweep fueled by depth scoring, elite goaltending, and clutch late-game execution.
The simulation puck has officially dropped—and if this version of reality holds any weight, the Colorado Avalanche aren’t just winning their first-round series… they’re steamrolling it. The full 2-hour and 45-minute stream can be watched in its entirety here. Game 1 — Avalanche 3, Kings 2 The opening frame had a little bit of everything—tempo, tension, and an early missed opportunity.
Colorado’s first power play came eight minutes in after Cody Ceci cross-checked Nazem Kadri, but the Avs couldn’t cash in. Still, they struck first. With under five minutes to play in the period, Nic Roy buried a rebound off a Gabriel Landeskog chance that slipped through Darcy Kuemper.
Depth scoring, right on cue. Colorado carried a 1–0 lead into intermission, narrowly edging Los Angeles 9–8 in shots. The Kings pushed back in the second.
Anze Kopitar—playing what could be his final postseason—redirected a Drew Doughty point shot past Scott Wedgewood to even things up. The period tilted toward Los Angeles, who outshot Colorado 9–4, but the score stayed locked at one. Then came the chaos.
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