Bad News For The Kings: The Colorado Avalanche Can Win In Any Style

The Colorado Avalanche scored the most goals in the NHL this season.

But in Game 1 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff game against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday, the Avalanche showed they can carve out wins in low-scoring games, winning 2-1.

For the first 35 minutes of the game, the Avs and Kings were deadlocked in a scoreless battle. But Colorado limited Los Angeles to only 16 shots in the first two periods, and Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood turned aside 24 of 25 shots through three periods.

The Kings Were So Close Yet So Far Against The Avalanche In Game 1

The Los Angeles Kings weren't extremely threatening in Game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche, but they played a respectable game. With that said, here's what went wrong in the Kings' playoff opener.

You also have to give credit to Wedgewood, who won his first career playoff game.

Wedgewood won 11 of his final 14 regular-season games, and he was named the first star of the game Saturday for good reason. There may come a point where Avalanche coach Jared Bednar turns to Wedgewood's tandem-mate Mackenzie Blackwood, but Wedgewood definitely earned another start in Game 2 on Tuesday.

Calm In The Storm: Wedgewood Lifts Avalanche Past Kings In Game 1

Scott Wedgewood's unshakable playoff debut and a pair of timely third period finishes carried Colorado through a chaotic, hard-edged Game 1 that never stopped teetering before finally breaking their way.

Some people get wrapped up in the Avalanche's offensive supremacy, and it's understandable why they do. But we shouldn't forget Colorado also had the NHL's best defense in the regular season, averaging 2.40 goals against per game. That virtually air-tight game will make life very hard on any opponent the Avs take on this spring.

If you want to run-and-gun with the Avalanche, they can do that and overwhelm you with their stacked attack and fearsome firepower. But if you want to grind out low-scoring games and try to out-defend the Avs, they can do that and emerge victorious, too. Any way you choose to play, the Avalanche can beat you.

Of course, no team is completely flawless, but Colorado is about as close as a team gets to it. The Kings did their utmost to squeeze the Avalanche in Game 1, but here's the problem with that approach: nobody squeezes harder than the Avs. They're a python in Burgundy & Blue, and unless the Kings figure out a way to play a perfect game, this series is likely to end much sooner than later.

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This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 4:39 PM.