Golden Knights destroy narratives with Game One triumph over Avalanche
May 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Dylan Coghlan (52) celebrates with defenseman Shea Theodore (27) after scoring during the second period against the Colorado Avalanche in game one of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena. Very few pundits are giving the Vegas Golden Knights much of a chance against the Colorado Avalanche, and no one can blame them. The Avalanche have been hands down the most dominant team in the NHL this season, and the playoffs have only reflected that point.
Yet to lose a game at home heading into the Western Conference Final, the Golden Knights had the daunting task to not only steal home ice advantage, but nab four wins against a juggernaut. It was going to take nothing short of their greatest effort all season, especially with the Stanley Cup within their grasp once again. The outside noise made Game One all the sweeter for the Golden Knights, who silenced the fans at Ball Arena with an impressive 4-2 victory over the Avalanche to snag the first win of the series.
The first period was back and forth with both teams trading good stretches. Carter Hart and Scott Wedgewood had 10 saves each in the first 20 minutes, including Hart having to make an excellent save on Nazem Kadri when the Avalanche were on a power play at the end of the period. With the second period opening up more chances, it was the unlikeliest of heroes who got the Western Conference Final going.
Dylan Coghlan, playing in his fifth career Stanley Cup Playoff game, would get a patch of open ice to shoot from before firing it through the five hole of Wedgewood to give the Golden Knights the first lead. It was not only the first playoff goal of Coghlan’s career, but his first at the NHL level since 2021 during his first stint with the Golden Knights. “I didn't really have much to lose and I think this is the best I've ever played in my career,” said Coghlan during the postgame press conference.
The usual suspects would not be left out, either. On a Golden Knights power play a few minutes later, Mitch Marner would make another spectacular play to enter the offensive zone and put the pressure on an Avalanche defensive corps that was without Cale Makar. Marner would then find a way to zip a pass through two defenders to Pavel Dorofeyev, who fired the puck past Wedgewood to become the first player to hit 10 goals this postseason.