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.
Just 1:49 into the third, a Colorado turnover sparked a 2-on-1, and Artemi Panarin found Adrian Kempe for a clean finish to give Los Angeles its first lead.
It didn’t last.
Off an offensive-zone draw, Brock Nelson did the dirty work, and Landeskog did the rest—dangling from forehand to backhand and beating Kuemper to tie it. A captain’s answer.
Moments later, Nathan MacKinnon hit another gear, slicing through defenders before setting up Artturi Lehkonen on the doorstep… only for the puck to clang off iron like it owed him money. Full Arnold Schwarzenegger, terminator-level post.
Late-game pressure broke the Kings. With under a minute to go, Nelson retrieved a loose puck behind the net and fed Landeskog in the slot. This time, no mistake—glove side, game over.
Landeskog finished with three points (2G, 1A), Nelson added two, and Roy chipped in with the opener. Wedgewood stopped 21.
Game 2 — Avalanche 3, Kings 2
Colorado controlled the pace early but found themselves trailing after Taylor Ward cleaned up a power play scramble midway through the first.
The response came quickly—and bizarrely.
Kuemper mishandled a routine puck in his crease, chaos followed, and Nelson capitalized with a slick backhand to tie it.
The second period belonged to Colorado. After Brian Dumoulin took a penalty, Martin Necas hammered home a power play goal to make it 2–1. The Avs dominated possession, outshooting the Kings 25–11 through two.
Kuemper, to his credit, kept Los Angeles alive with several massive saves, including a rocket from Cale Makar.
Kopitar tied it again early in the third on a power play one-timer, because of course he did.
But once again, Colorado had the final word.
Ross Colton forced a turnover, Nic Roy picked it up, and Colton spun and fired past Kuemper in one motion. Clinical. Decisive.
Blackwood stopped 18, and the Avalanche took a 2–0 series lead.
Game 3 — Avalanche 2, Kings 1 (OT)
Los Angeles struck first, capitalizing on a 2-on-1 as Kempe set up Brandt Clarke to beat Wedgewood.
From there, it became a goaltending duel.
Colorado dominated stretches of the second, but Kuemper refused to break—until Sam Malinski burst in on a breakaway and slipped a backhand home late in the period to tie it.
The third period? Pure chaos disguised as control. Both goalies traded highlight-reel saves.
Then overtime delivered the madness.
Scott Laughton nearly ended it for L.A., but Wedgewood pulled off a save that defied both physics and basic human expectation.
Moments later, the Kings went on the power play—but it backfired spectacularly.
Cale Makar won a race to the puck, fed Logan O’Connor in the slot, and O’Connor buried the shorthanded winner.
Ballgame. Series stranglehold.
Wedgewood was unreal, stopping 38.
Game 4 — Avalanche 1, Kings 0
This one was tight. Suffocating, even.
Both teams traded chances, but nothing got through—until the final seconds.
With just 21 ticks left, Nelson forced a turnover at center ice and sent Landeskog flying down the wing. One shot. One finish.
That was it.
Four games. Four wins. Series over.
Let’s Be Real
Nathan MacKinnon going an entire series without a goal? Not happening in any known universe. The simulation clearly has a personal vendetta.
But if there’s one takeaway here, it’s this: Colorado’s depth, structure, and late-game execution completely overwhelmed Los Angeles.
Now, reality steps in.
Game 1 hits Sunday at Ball Arena.
And unlike the simulation… this one counts.
