Trending Now - Avalanche's Makar Injury Alters Game 1 Dynamics Against Vegas
WHO:
Colorado Hockey Now - Cale Makar will not play for the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1.
Colorado Hockey Now - Head coach Jared Bednar is the coach of the Avalanche.
Colorado Hockey Now - Scott Wedgewood is the expected starting goalie for the Avalanche.
Colorado Hockey Now - Carter Hart is the expected starting goalie for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Colorado Hockey Now - Mark Stone is a player for the Vegas Golden Knights.
WHAT:
Colorado Hockey Now - Cale Makar will miss a playoff game for just the second time in his career, with the only other instance being a one-game suspension against the Seattle Kraken in 2023.
Colorado Hockey Now - Scott Wedgewood will make his ninth start in ten games during the postseason.
Colorado Hockey Now - Carter Hart has started every game of the Golden Knights' playoffs to date and has an 8-4 record.
NHL.com - Mitch Marner leads the league with 18 points (7 goals, 11 assists) this postseason.
NHL.com - Pavel Dorofeyev leads the NHL with 9 playoff goals.
NHL.com - Brett Howden has scored three shorthanded goals this postseason, tying the NHL record for the most in a single playoff run.
NHL.com - Carter Hart made 322 saves through the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, ranking second among all netminders.
Sportskeeda - The Vegas Golden Knights stunned the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of the 2026 Western Conference Final with a 4-2 win.
Sportskeeda - Cale Makar's absence is expected to significantly impact the Avalanche's chances against the Golden Knights.
Colorado Hockey Now - The Avalanche are back in the Western Conference Final for the first time in four years.
Colorado Hockey Now - The Avalanche have a record of 2-0-1 against the Golden Knights in the regular season.
Colorado Hockey Now - The Avalanche are 9-3-2 in their last 15 head-to-head meetings with the Golden Knights.
Colorado Hockey Now - Game 1 is scheduled for 6:15 pm MT and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
Colorado Hockey Now - Jack Ahcan will dress in place of Cale Makar.
Colorado Hockey Now - The Avalanche's projected lines include Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, and Martin Necas.
Colorado Hockey Now - The Golden Knights' projected lines include Ivan Barbashev, Jack Eichel, and Pavel Dorofeyev.
WHERE:
Colorado Hockey Now - The game will take place at Ball Arena, home of the Colorado Avalanche.
WHEN:
Colorado Hockey Now - Game 1 vs Vegas Golden Knights is scheduled for May 20 at 6 pm MT.
Colorado Hockey Now - Game 2 vs Vegas Golden Knights is scheduled for May 22 at 6 pm MT.
Colorado Hockey Now - Game 3 at Vegas Golden Knights is scheduled for May 24 at 6 pm MT.
Colorado Hockey Now - Game 4 at Vegas Golden Knights is scheduled for May 26 at 7 pm MT.
Colorado Hockey Now - Game 5 vs Vegas Golden Knights is scheduled for May 28 at 6 pm MT if necessary.
Colorado Hockey Now - Game 6 at Vegas Golden Knights is scheduled for May 30 at 6 pm MT if necessary.
Colorado Hockey Now - Game 7 vs Vegas Golden Knights is scheduled for June 1 at 6 pm MT if necessary.
WHY:
Colorado Hockey Now - Cale Makar is listed as day-to-day due to an upper body injury.
Colorado Hockey Now - Mark Stone did not play the last three games of the second round, which could impact the Golden Knights.
HOW:
NHL.com - The Avalanche came back from down 3-0 to defeat the Minnesota Wild 4-3 in overtime in Game Five of Round Two on May 13, advancing to the Western Conference Final.
Denver Post - Coach Jared Bednar indicated that Makar is doing better and was on the ice before morning skate.
(UPDATED May 21, 2026 08:12 UTC)
Cale Makar will miss a playoff game for just the second time in his career, with his only other absence being a one-game suspension against the Seattle Kraken in 2023. Meanwhile, Scott Wedgewood is set to make his ninth start in ten postseason games, while Carter Hart has started every game for the Golden Knights, boasting an impressive 8-4 record and ranking second among all goalies with 322 saves. On the scoring front, Mitch Marner leads the league with 18 points, Pavel Dorofeyev tops the charts with 9 playoff goals, and Brett Howden has tied the NHL record with three shorthanded goals in a single playoff run.
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(UPDATED May 21, 2026 04:19 UTC)
The Vegas Golden Knights pulled off a surprising victory against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of the 2026 Western Conference Final, winning with a score of 4 to 2. The Avalanche had previously made an impressive comeback, overcoming a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Minnesota Wild 4 to 3 in overtime during Game Five of Round Two on May 13. This thrilling win allowed Colorado to advance to the Western Conference Final, setting the stage for their matchup against the Golden Knights.
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(UPDATED May 20, 2026 23:22 UTC)
Cale Makar will not play for the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 against the Vegas Golden Knights, which is expected to significantly impact the Avalanche's chances in this matchup. The game is set for 6:15 PM MT at Ball Arena, where Scott Wedgewood is projected to be the starting goalie for Colorado, while Carter Hart will start for Vegas. In Makar's absence, Jack Ahcan will dress for the Avalanche, who have a solid record of 9-3-2 in their last 15 meetings with the Golden Knights.