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Colorado (0-3) at Vegas (3-0)
- When: May 26 2026, 9:00 PM
- Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV, USA
- TV: ESPN
Colorado vs Vegas NHL Preview & Pick
Moneyline: Colorado -112
Spread: Colorado -1.5 (+220)
Total: 6.0
Colorado Avalanche: Somehow In Therapy Now
Colorado entered this series looking like a Stanley Cup freight train. Now they are one loss away from becoming hockey’s saddest documentary.
The Avalanche blew a 3-0 lead Sunday night, which is normally the kind of thing that gets replayed endlessly on sports channels while fans stare silently into the void holding overpriced playoff beer.
Nathan MacKinnon, owner of 53 goals this season and approximately half of Colorado’s emotional stability, got blasted in the knee by a Shea Theodore shot and looked about as comfortable afterward as somebody stepping barefoot onto Lego pieces.
MacKinnon still tried returning because hockey players are completely insane human beings. He played limited minutes in the third period but clearly wasn’t moving normally.
Then Valeri Nichushkin disappeared late with another lower-body injury because apparently Colorado’s injury report now reads like a grocery receipt.
Coach Jared Bednar admitted the situation looks ugly. Historically, teams down 3-0 in conference finals are 0-49 all-time, which is less “comeback opportunity” and more “please start planning offseason golf trips.”
Still, Colorado keeps talking about pride, character, and winning four straight games. Which technically is possible. So is getting struck by lightning while cashing a lottery ticket.
Vegas Golden Knights: Smelling Blood
Meanwhile, Vegas suddenly looks like the coldest team left in hockey.
The Golden Knights pulled off the first playoff comeback from a three-goal deficit in franchise history Sunday and now skate into Game 4 smelling pure elimination energy.
John Tortorella deserves massive credit here. Since taking over behind the bench late in the season, Vegas has gone 18-4-1 and somehow turned into a machine that refuses to panic under pressure.
The scary part for Colorado is how calm Vegas looks right now. The Golden Knights don’t seem emotional, nervous, or overly excited. They look like a team casually clocking into work while carrying flamethrowers.
Shea Theodore continues controlling the pace from the blue line while the Vegas forecheck has absolutely bullied Colorado for long stretches of this series.
Even when Colorado jumped ahead 3-0 Sunday, Vegas never looked rattled. That’s terrifying in playoff hockey.
The Golden Knights also know the fourth win is usually the hardest to secure, especially against desperate opponents. But right now, Vegas simply looks healthier, deeper, and mentally stronger.
And honestly, that tends to matter quite a bit in elimination games.
NHL Playoffs Betting Prediction
Colorado should come out flying because the alternative is starting summer vacation in May. But Vegas has completely owned momentum and confidence in this series.
Even if MacKinnon plays, the Avalanche look too battered defensively to survive another full Vegas attack.
Score Prediction: Golden Knights 4, Avalanche 2
Pick: Vegas ML (-108)
Total: Under 6.5 Alt Lines (-135)
- NHL Playoffs Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
