Logan O’Connor came within an inch of opening the Western Conference Final scoring in the first period Wednesday night.

The Golden Knights did not get the message that the Avs were to be feared on home ice.

The Colorado Avalanche lost Game 1 of the NHL Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, Wednesday, 20, 2026.

The Golden Knights had better juice, better goaltending, better coaching, better special teams and a better plan. They also better utilized the dark arts of playoff hockey, winking their way into some friendly calls.

The Colorado Avalanche led from the front all season in the NHL. Now the Avs need to come back to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

Live game coverage, highlights, analysis and more as the Avalanche face the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of NHL’s Western Conference Final at Ball Arena.