How sweep it is: Avalanche commit regicide as they pound LA Kings in series win

The Colorado Avalanche got the job done on Sunday afternoon. The Avs pounded the LA Kings 5-1 at the Crypto.com Arena, locking up their ticket to the second round in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Colorado became the second team this postseason to sweep their first-round postseason series. The Carolina Hurricanes swept their series against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday with a 4-2 win.

The Avalanche got a pair of goals from Nathan MacKinnon, his first two of the playoffs, including a power play goal in the first period to open the scoring.

Cale Makar added his second of the postseason, a beauty to put some separation between the Avalanche and the Kings. A goal by Joel Edmundson late in the second briefly had the Kings some like.

But goals from Nic Roy and Devon Toews about three minutes apart in the third period stifled any comeback hopes. MacKinnon added an empty-netter to seal the win.

The score pretty much reflected the type of game it was. The game was never close, with the Avalanche outshooting the Kings 32-25.

Scott Wedgewood had another solid performance, stopping 23 shots for the win. Wedgewood was crucial in locking up the victory, holding back a push from the Kings in the second period.

Colorado will still await the winner of the Minnesota Wild-Dallas Stars showdown. That series is currently tied at two.

Avalanche end Kopitar’s career on a sour note

The Colorado Avalanche ended LA Kings’ captain Anze Kopitar’s career on a sour note. Kopitar, who will retire at the end of this season, played his final game on Sunday. Unless he chooses to come back next season, Kopitar’s final game will go down in a tough defeat.

The Avs held Kopitar off the scoresheet, leaving the great Kings’ captain tied for second on his team’s all-time playoff scoring list with 89 points.

It was a tough pill to swallow for Kopitar and the Kings. They were victims of the Avalanche’s sixth series sweep in franchise history.

Meanwhile, the tough loss on home ice, and a sweep to boot, may be one of the few regrets the future Hall of Famer might have.

We wish Kopitar all the best. However, business is business, and the Avalanche got a much-deserved series victory. While some of the games were close at times, the Kings never really had a chance to get past the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche.

The attention will now focus on resting and recovering as Colorado looks to continue its march towards the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.

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