DENVER, CO — Ball Arena was the stage, and playoff hockey was the entertainment, and we were not disappointed in the slightest.
The arena and its patrons started in a frenzy, and as Gangsters Paradise rang out, the frenzy built into downright bedlam as the white pom poms flew.
— Adrian Hernandez (@AdoHernandez27) April 19, 2026
With three Stanley Cup banners wading in the noise, the Colorado Avalanche began their journey toward hopefully adding to the collection with the LA Kings standing in their way as first-round foe.
Will the Presidents’ winning Colorado Avalanche assert their dominance, or will LA prove pesky early in round one?
From puck drop, one thing was made very clear: the Avalanche were prepared and ready to get off on the right foot.
The pressure on the Kings’ netminder, Anton Forsberg, built and built; however, the Avalanche couldn’t cash in.
The Kings created a flurry of chances of their own late in the first frame, but a bit of puck luck and mostly stellar play from Wedgewood kept things tied at one.
A no-goal first period is likely exactly what the LA Kings players and staff had in mind, so I’d count that as a win for LA in period one.
Colorado’s second power play of the night led to some great chances, including a doorstep look for Landeskog, but the puck just didn’t go in.
The Avalanche appeared to score a goal, but it was immediately waved off for goaltender interference.
Fans were understandably displeased as it appeared that Drew Doughty’s check on Jack Drury caused the contact in the crease.
Avs score but was ruled goalie interference, they challenged the call and it stood. Right or wrong call? pic.twitter.com/gbMHpso6OO
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) April 19, 2026
The call was upheld, and the Avalanche would have to kill a power play.
I’m of the opinion that, although the contact from Doughty was well away from the net, Drury couldn’t do much more to stay out of the blue paint.
Finally, after all of the attacks Colorado was bringing to the table, it was none other than Artturi Lehkonen who broke the scoreless tie, in typical fashion!Lehky’s goal looked strikingly similar to his series-clincher back in 2022 against the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final, in that Artturi was there to net a rebound and give his side the 1-0 lead. The Avalanche would hold that lead heading into the third period.
Next up on the goal-scoring train was Logan O’Connor, who, a few short months ago, hadn’t played any NHL hockey this season. His goal would give Colorado a 2-0 lead in the third period.
The Kings would cut the lead to one with a power play goal from Artemi Panarin with just over two minutes to go but Colorado held on to take the first game of the series by a 2-1 score.
There are very few environments in hockey like Ball Arena during the playoffs. The place was rocking, and during a game where the heavy favorites didn’t tally a goal in the first period, they stayed engaged and loud beyond the first wave.