Golden Knights vs Avalanche Tonight: TV Channel, Live Stream, Odds & Must-Watch NHL Clash

The Vegas Golden Knights have struck first in the 2026 Western Conference Final, downing the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in Game 1 at Ball Arena to grab a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 drops the puck tonight (23 May, 1 a.m. UTC), again in Denver, with Colorado desperate to level the best-of-seven before the series shifts to Las Vegas. What happened in Game 1 • Dylan Coghlan’s first-ever playoff goal opened the scoring and powered a three-goal first period for Vegas. • Jack Eichel (1 G, 1 A) continued his torrid postseason, while Adin Hill made 31 saves. • Nathan MacKinnon was kept off the scoresheet despite six shots, ending his five-game point streak. Injury watch • Vegas captain Mark Stone (lower body) remains day-to-day and is not expected tonight. • Colorado’s star defenseman Cale Makar (upper body) also sits out, leaving Devon Toews and Bowen Byram to shoulder heavy minutes. Why Game 2 matters Teams that take a 2-0 lead in a conference final go on to reach the Stanley Cup Final nearly 90 % of the time since 2010. Colorado owns NHL-best regular-season home record (26-9-6) but now faces its first home ice crisis of these playoffs. Key matchups to watch 1. MacKinnon vs. Brayden McNabb: Vegas used McNabb’s length to steer MacKinnon wide in Game 1; expect more of the same. 2. Special teams: Colorado’s power play ranked No. 1 in the league (31.7 %), but it went 0-for-3 on Tuesday. 3. Goaltending: Hill (.931 postseason save pct) outdueled Scott Wedgewood; the Avs may consider giving MacKenzie Blackwood a look if Hill steals the early momentum again. How to watch and stream Game 2 • TV: ESPN, Sportsnet, TNT • Streaming: ESPN+, NHL.tv (regional blackouts apply) • Puck drop: 7 p.m. MT / 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET Betting odds Most major sportsbooks list the Avalanche as slight –130 money-line favorites, with the over/under at 5.5 goals. Jack Eichel is +160 to record a multi-point night; Nathan MacKinnon is +115 to score. Projected lineups Vegas: Dorofeyev – Eichel – Marchessault | Hertl – Karlsson – Stephenson | Cotter – Roy – Barbashev | Carrier – Blueger – Kolesar Colorado: Lehkonen – MacKinnon – Rantanen | Nichushkin – Johansen – Drouin | Landeskog – Colton – O’Connor | Olofsson – MacDermid – Kiviranta Prediction With Makar out and Vegas’ depth rolling, the Golden Knights have a golden chance to steal another on the road. Expect a tighter contest, but Vegas 3, Colorado 2 in overtime feels written in the ice. Upcoming schedule (if necessary) Game 3: 25 May, T-Mobile Arena Game 4: 27 May, T-Mobile Arena Game 5: 29 May, Ball Arena Game 6: 31 May, T-Mobile Arena Game 7: 2 Jun, Ball Arena Stay tuned for live updates, in-game highlights and complete post-game analysis as the battle between the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche intensifies.