3 Reasons the Golden Knights Swept the Avalanche

For the third time in their brief history, the Vegas Golden Knights are heading to the Stanley Cup Final. They advance to the final round in spectacular fashion, sweeping the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche. As the Golden Knights await their opponent from the Eastern Conference, let’s take a look at the reasons the Golden Knights swept the Western Conference’s top team.

Depth Scoring

To go deep in the playoffs, a team needs its stars to shine. The Golden Knights have gotten that from players like Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, and Pavel Dorofeyev. However, to beat the Avalanche, the Golden Knights would need depth scoring as well.

They got that right away in Game 1. Defenseman Dylan Coghlan, who played in just three games the entire regular season, scored the first goal in Game 1 and added an assist in Games 3 and 4. In Game 3, Keegan Kolesar scored the game-tying goal in the second period as the Golden Knights erased a 3-0 deficit. Cole Smith provided a huge insurance goal in Game 4, tipping in a shot that ended up being the series-winning goal.

The Golden Knights were able to roll out four lines and three pairings throughout the series. Each time Vegas touched the puck, there was the threat that they would create a scoring opportunity. Furthermore, each line scored at least one goal in the series.

Eichel vs. MacKinnon

Nathan MacKinnon, who scored 53 goals in the regular season, was limited to just two assists in the series. Yes, he did get hurt in Game 3, but even a 50% MacKinnon is still a threat.

Eichel deserves a lot of credit for how Vegas contained MacKinnon. Head coach John Tortorella matched Eichel against MacKinnon as many times as he could. Eichel rose to the occasion, staying with MacKinnon at all times, limiting his opportunities to use his dangerous speed.

Eichel did score an important goal in Game 2, but otherwise had a quiet series offensively. However, shutting down MacKinnon was a key factor in their series sweep. Eichel may not have shown up in the box score many times, but his fingerprints are all over this sweep (from ‘How the Golden Knights Can Close Out the Series, and How the Avalanche Can Climb Back Into It,’ The Athletic, May 24, 2026).

“I know what I want to try to accomplish with and without the puck and the way I want to play. It’s being responsible defensively and trying to provide offense when I can. I think that’s the way I’ve transformed my game the last few seasons. We have such a great team. It really makes it easy.”

Vegas Built a Wall

MacKinnon was not the only Avalanche player who struggled in the series. Martin Necas, Brock Nelson, and Cale Makar (limited to just two games) were also held off the scoreboard. The reason why is simple: Vegas built a wall.

When the Avalanche had possession in the offensive zone, the Golden Knights immediately built a wall of players around their crease, offering additional help to goaltender Carter Hart. The Golden Knights blocked 23 shots in Game 1, 16 in Game 2, 22 in Game 3, and another 14 in Game 4. The Golden Knights’ relentless effort to protect the net stopped many pucks from getting near their net. In fact, the Avalanche went roughly 25 minutes in Game 4 without a shot on goal, even though they were only down by one.

With all the offensive firepower on the Golden Knights, it’s easy to forget how strong they can be defensively. However, this commitment to defensive hockey is a big reason why they are advancing. They faced one of the most dangerous offenses in the NHL and held them to just seven goals in four games.

Looking Ahead to the Final

The Golden Knights will either play the Carolina Hurricanes or Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final. Regardless of who they face, the Golden Knights will be ready for the challenge.

The road to the Final was not an easy one by any means. However, they got there all the same. They are just four wins away from the Stanley Cup and will be ready for the challenge.