Golden Knights beat Avalanche 4-2

The Vegas Golden Knights opened the Western Conference Final with a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday, May 20, at Ball Arena in Denver. Carter Hart made 36 saves for Vegas, which took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Dylan Coghlan, William Karlsson, Pavel Dorofeyev and Nick Dowd scored for the Golden Knights, according to NHL.com and Associated Press coverage. (nhl.com) Colorado played without defenseman Cale Makar, who missed the game with an undisclosed injury. ### Who put Vegas in front early? Dylan Coghlan opened the scoring with his first playoff goal, giving Vegas the first breakthrough in a game that began scoreless. William Karlsson and Pavel Dorofeyev also scored for the Golden Knights, helping Vegas build the cushion it needed on the road against the NHL’s top regular-season team. (hockey-reference.com) Nick Dowd added an empty-net goal late in the third period. NHL.com said seven Vegas players recorded one assist each in the Game 1 win. ### How much did Carter Hart have to do? (nhl.com) Carter Hart stopped 36 of 38 shots in Denver and was central to Vegas holding its lead as Colorado pushed late. NHL.com’s game recap listed Hart’s 36 saves as the key defensive number in the opener. The Avalanche generated enough pressure to keep the game close, but Vegas left Denver with home-ice advantage after Hart turned aside repeated chances. Yahoo’s Associated Press report said the Golden Knights “held off” Colorado after the late push. (8newsnow.com) ### What changed for Colorado without Cale Makar? Cale Makar missed Game 1 with an undisclosed injury, and Colorado opened the series without one of its top defensemen. (nhl.com) NHL.com identified Makar’s absence in its recap of the opener, and Yahoo’s report said the Avalanche were without the star blueliner on Wednesday night. Colorado still scored twice, but Vegas capitalized on the opening and protected its lead. Reports after the game described Makar’s status as unresolved heading into the next matchup. ### Where does the series stand now? Hockey-Reference lists Vegas ahead 1-0 in the 2026 Western Conference Final after the 4-2 result on May 20. (sports.yahoo.com) The Avalanche entered the series as the Presidents’ Trophy winner, but the Golden Knights took the opener on the road. The result gave Vegas an early edge in a series that opened in Colorado because the Avalanche had home ice. (nhl.com) Local schedule reports and series listings show the first two games set for Ball Arena before the matchup shifts to Las Vegas for Game 3. ### When is the next game? (sports.yahoo.com) Game 2 is scheduled for Friday, May 22, in Denver, according to Hockey-Reference and multiple series schedule listings. The series then moves to Las Vegas for Game 3 on Sunday, May 24. Sporting News reported Games 1 through 4 are set to air on ESPN, with Sean McDonough and Ray Ferraro on the call. (hockey-reference.com) Colorado’s lineup decision on Makar is one of the immediate questions before the puck drops for Game 2 at Ball Arena. (sportingnews.com) (kdvr.com)