Rarely does a 10-second clip inside a hockey game tell the story of an entire playoff series, let alone one that doesn’t feature a goal or even a momentum-shifting save.

The Colorado Avalanche beat the Los Angeles Kings 5-1, sweeping the first round of the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Sunday, April 26, 2026.

MacKinnon, who led the Avs with two goals and three points, sent a message from La-La Land to both rivals in Game 4: He’s done taking hits. No. 29’s taking names. And keeping receipts.

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and added an assist, while Scott Wedgewood made 24 saves to finish the series with just five goals allowed.

He’s taken Patrick Roy to the Wedgewoodshed. He’s chucked Philipp Grubauer, Jose Theodore, Alexandar Georgiev and Darcy Kuemper, one by one, into the chipper. It’s Scott Wedgewood’s net right now. The only force that can slow WedgieMania down right now is Avalanche coach Jared Bednar.

Transitions can be tough around the trade deadline, but it was a particularly tricky one for Nick Blankenburg.