Second-period surge leads Knights past Avalanche in West finals opener

Field Level Media|published: Wed 20th May, 23:17 2026

May 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) scores past Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) during the second period in game one of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

DENVER -- Dylan Coghlan and Pavel Dorofeyev scored 2:33 apart in the second period, Carter Hart made 36 saves, and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday.

Brett Howton also had a goal and Nic Dowd scored into an empty net for Vegas, which grabbed home-ice advantage from the Presidents' Trophy winners.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be played Friday night in Denver.

Valeri Nichushkin and Gabriel Landeskog scored while Scott Wedgewood turned away 24 shots for Colorado, which trails in a series for the first time in this postseason.

Vegas captain Mark Stone (lower-body injury) and Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (upper body) were scratched.

Both teams had chances in a scoreless first period. Keegan Kolesar nearly gave the Golden Knights the lead on a partial breakaway early on. Logan O'Connor hit the post for the Avalanche, and Hart made a save on Nazem Kadri in the waning seconds of the period.

Vegas finally broke through at 12:29 of the second period. Brandon Saad sent a pass to Coghlan in the slot, and Coghlan's wrister beat Wedgewood through the pads for his first goal of the postseason.

Colorado's Ross Colton took a roughing penalty less than two minutes later, and the Golden Knights took advantage. Mitch Marner stretched out with the puck and whipped a pass to Dorofeyev coming down the right side. Dorofeyev sent a one-timer to the short side past at 15:02, his 10th goal of the playoffs.

Vegas made it 3-0 early in the third after killing off a Colorado power play. Howden knocked down the rebound of Ben Hutton's shot with his glove and tapped the puck by Wedgewood at 1:34.

The Avalanche answered at 5:53 when Nichushkin redirected Colton's pass beyond Hart.

Wedgewood came off when Colorado went on the power play at 16:52, and Landeskog cut the deficit to one at 17:39.

The Avalanche pulled Wedgwood again, but Dowd sealed it into an empty net at 19:15.

--Field Level Media

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