Colorado Avalanche Overtime Win Over Los Angeles Kings Highlights: Game 1 Recap and Key Takeaways

Artturi Lehkonen opened the scoring in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, delivering the go‑ahead goal that broke a 0‑0 deadlock and set the tone for Colorado’s 2‑1 victory over Los Angeles.

The Finnish winger’s goal came after a Nathan MacKinnon shot ricocheted off Anton Forsberg, allowing Lehkonen to sweep the rebound into the net, a play Bednar described as “how he scores.”

Lehkonen’s knack for clutch goals is well documented; he scored overtime winners in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final with Montreal, the 2022 Final with Colorado, and the decisive goal in the 2022 championship game.

He added an Olympic overtime heroics for Finland in 2026, but his contribution on Sunday was the most immediate catalyst for the Avalanche’s early series lead.

Colorado’s second goal arrived early in the third period, extending the lead and forcing the Kings to chase the game.

Los Angeles answered with a late third‑period tally, but Nazem Kadri’s defensive disruption of a potential Adrian Kempe breakaway helped preserve the Avalanche advantage.

Bednar praised the overall effort, noting that the game reflected the type of disciplined, defensive‑oriented contest typical of a Kings matchup.

One of the most notable coaching decisions was the start of Scott Wedgewood in net, a move that highlighted the goaltending tandem’s season‑long balance.

Wedgewood delivered 24 saves, including key stops on Adrian Kempe and Trevor Moore, and earned Bednar’s commendation for playing “fantastic” under playoff pressure.

Throughout the regular season, Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood combined to win the Jennings Trophy, allowing the fewest goals in the NHL.

Blackwood’s season was hampered by lower‑body injuries, limiting him to 39 games and a .904 save percentage, while Wedgewood posted a league‑leading .921 save percentage among goalies with a half‑season workload.

At 33, Wedgewood became the eighth‑oldest goalie to make his first playoff start and the third‑oldest to win that start.

Forsberg, who replaced Darcy Kuemper late in the regular season, provided a solid 28‑save performance for the Kings, earning praise from defenseman Mikey Anderson for his clutch saves.

The Kings’ offense struggled to capitalize on opportunities, with several high‑quality chances slipping away.

Drew Doughty’s backhanded attempt in the first period struck the post after a perfect setup, while Artemi Panarin missed an open‑net chance in the second period.

Panarin eventually scored the Kings’ lone goal on a six‑on‑four rush late in the third, a rare highlight in an otherwise muted offensive display.

Coach D.J. Smith acknowledged the missed chances, stating that the team could have been “on the net more” despite the overall solid performance.

A pivotal moment occurred midway through the second period when Logan O’Connor appeared to score, only for the goal to be overturned after a review for goalie interference.

Jack Drury’s contact with Forsberg was deemed the decisive factor, and Bednar’s challenge was denied, leaving the play unchanged.

Goaltending interference has been a contentious issue league‑wide, prompting discussion at the March GM meetings where Commissioner Gary Bettman defended the replay system’s leadership.

O’Connor later redeemed the overturned call by scoring a breakaway goal early in the third period, a moment made more significant after his offseason hip surgery and goalless regular‑season stretch.

The Avalanche’s power play, ranked 27th in the league during the regular season with a 17.1 % conversion rate, failed to generate offense, going 0‑for‑4 in Game 1.

Despite a late‑season improvement to 21.4 % (16th overall), the unit could not capitalize on any of its four opportunities against a Kings penalty kill that was the third‑worst in the league.

The first power‑play chance produced only a low‑danger shot, the second generated chances that were saved by Forsberg, and the third ended with a Martin Nečas holding penalty.

The final power‑play chance in the third period saw Joel Armia high‑stick Josh Manson, but Colorado only managed a post‑hit and failed to extend the lead.

Colorado’s special teams will need to revert to the late‑season form if the Avalanche hope to sustain a deep playoff run.

Lineup adjustments were evident as Bednar paired Lehkonen with MacKinnon and Nečas on the left wing, while rotating Nelson, Kadri, and Gabriel Landeskog to the point for better face‑off outcomes.

The strategy aimed to maximize possession time, leveraging Nelson, Kadri, and Landeskog’s superior left‑side face‑off percentages over MacKinnon’s.

Los Angeles’ coach Smith admitted that, after the second period, a 1‑0 deficit felt acceptable, but the Kings ultimately fell short despite a late surge.

Natural Stat Trick reported that the Kings controlled 56.97 % of expected goals at five‑on‑five, underscoring their strong possession despite the loss.

Panarin’s playoff résumé includes a Game 6 loss with the Rangers in the 2024 Eastern Conference final, and both that game and Sunday’s ended with his team losing 2‑1 after a late‑game goal.

The Avalanche now lead the series 1‑0 and will look to build on the defensive discipline and timely scoring that defined Game 1.

Colorado’s next challenge will be to generate offense on the power play and sustain the balanced goaltending that has served them throughout the regular season.

For the Kings, improving finish on high‑quality chances and maintaining disciplined play without costly penalties will be essential to stay alive in the series.

Goalie	Games Played	Save Percentage
Scott Wedgewood	45	.921
Mackenzie Blackwood	39	.904

Team	Power‑Play % (Regular Season)	Power‑Play % (Post‑Olympic)
Colorado Avalanche	17.1	21.4
Los Angeles Kings	—	—

The series’ outcome will hinge on whether Colorado can translate its regular‑season defensive strengths into consistent playoff production.

Both teams demonstrated the capacity to create scoring chances, but execution in critical moments separated the Avalanche from the Kings on Sunday.