Avalanche Set 2026 Western Conference Final Golden Knights Schedule
The golden knights schedule is set: the Colorado Avalanche will open the Western Conference final against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, May 20, at Ball Arena in Denver. Game 1 starts at 6 p.m., and the full best-of-seven slate now gives both teams a clear runway through June 1 if the series goes that far.
Ball Arena Opens May 20
The first three games have start times locked in. Game 2 is set for Friday, May 22 at 6 p.m., and Game 3 follows on Sunday, May 24 at 6 p.m. Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, with the time still to be determined.
Colorado reached this round after Brett Kulak scored the goal that clinched a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild in Game 5 on Wednesday night. Vegas advanced on Thursday night by beating the Anaheim Ducks in Game 6 of its second-round series, setting up a matchup the NHL released on Thursday.
Colorado And Vegas Meet Again
The Avalanche went 2-0-1 against the Golden Knights in the regular season, a useful note as the conference final begins with home ice in Denver. Colorado is back in the Western Conference final for the eighth time since relocating to Denver before the 1995-96 season.
That history cuts both ways. The Avalanche have reached the conference finals in 1996, 2001, and 2022, and they won the Stanley Cup in 2022 after getting past the second round. They also carry a 3-4 record in the conference finals since arriving in Denver, so this run brings a familiar stage but not a simple path.
And ABC Coverage
Broadcast plans are already set around the series. All games except Game 6 will air on, while ABC will carry Game 6 if it becomes necessary. If the matchup reaches a sixth or seventh game, Game 6 is scheduled for Saturday, May 30 at 6 p.m., and Game 7 would follow on Monday, June 1 at 6 p.m.
For fans, the practical takeaway is simple: the opener is fixed for May 20 in Denver, most of the series is locked to 6 p.m. starts, and the only holdout in the first four games is Game 4. The schedule now turns the Western Conference final from a bracket line into a concrete set of dates, venues, and broadcast windows.
