Colorado Avalanche fans won’t love this—but Pittsburgh Penguins fans absolutely will.

In a tightly contested NHL 26 simulation, it took overtime to decide a winner after a scoreless 60 minutes. Ben Kindel played the hero, scoring late in the extra frame to lift the Penguins to a 1–0 victory.

Both goaltenders were outstanding. Scott Wedgewood turned aside 22 shots for Colorado, while Arturs Silovs matched him save-for-save, delivering a brilliant 22-save shutout performance for Pittsburgh.

The Avalanche came out with jump. Just under two minutes in, Cale Makar jumpstarted a breakout and sprung Martin Necas on a breakaway, but Silovs stood tall and made the stop.

Later in the period, Ross Colton—returning from injury—pushed the pace and found Parker Kelly down the left wing at 5:49, but Kelly’s shot missed wide.

Colorado continued to generate chances, but Silovs was the difference-maker. Valeri Nichushkin ripped a clean wrister from the top of the right circle that was gloved with ease, and Sam Malinski met the same fate moments later.

Pittsburgh didn’t register its first shot until around the 13-minute mark, when Kindel generated a dangerous look, but Wedgewood answered with a sharp glove save. On the next sequence, he dropped into the butterfly to deny another chance.

After one, Colorado held a commanding 9–3 edge in shots—but nothing to show for it.

The Avalanche ran into early penalty trouble when Nathan MacKinnon was called for cross-checking Erik Karlsson, but the penalty kill unit handled it cleanly.

Midway through the period, Brett Kulak blasted a slap shot from the point that was deftly deflected by Kelly in front. Somehow, Silovs reacted in time, getting his stick on the puck to keep it out.

Despite controlling possession, Colorado couldn’t solve the Penguins’ netminder. MacKinnon had a prime look from the slot, but once again, Silovs flashed the glove.

Through 40 minutes, the Avs led 16–10 in shots, but the game remained scoreless.

Pittsburgh pushed back early in the third, testing Wedgewood right away. He came up big, including a denial on Sidney Crosby’s one-timer.

MacKinnon continued to be turned away, firing a near-identical shot from the slot midway through the period—same location, same result: gloved by Silovs.

Frustration began to mount for Colorado. With nine minutes remaining, Malinski found Nazem Kadri in the slot off an offensive zone faceoff. Kadri beat Silovs—but rang it off the post.

Later, Ville Koivunen—called up following Evgeni Malkin’s injury—had a quality chance in tight, but Wedgewood smothered it.

Wedgewood added one more highlight-reel glove save in the final seconds, sending the game to overtime. After 60 minutes, both teams were deadlocked with 22 shots apiece and no goals.

It finally ended late.

With just 1:10 remaining in overtime, Kindel fired a shot that deflected off Brock Nelson’s skate and past Wedgewood, sealing a 1–0 Penguins win.

A goaltending duel from start to finish—and one Avalanche fans will hope stays strictly in the world of simulation.