May 24, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) receives medical during the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights in game three of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
May 24, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) receives medical during the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights in game three of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The Colorado Avalanche's season comes to an end. Vegas closes with a 2-1 win in Game 4 at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday to complete a four-game sweep at the Western Conference Final.
The Golden Knights are now headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in the team’s history. Meanwhile, the Avalanche entered the conference final with an 8-1 record in the first two rounds and had an average of 4.1 goals per game.
The gap in Colorado's performance was hard to explain. Nathan MacKinnon went the entire series without finding the net, while Martin Necas, who reached 100 points in the regular season, was also kept off the scoresheet in all four games and finished the postseason with just one goal.
The Golden Knights stayed organized and calm, maintaining their defensive pressure throughout the game. At one point in Game 4, the Avalanche went more than 25 minutes without a shot on the goal across the second and third periods.
Mark Stone returned after missing five games due to injury. He had already scored in Game 3 and wasted no time making an impact in Game 4. He helped give Vegas an early lead, and Colorado was never able to recover the momentum.
"Obviously … sucks no matter how you do it," Mackenzie Blackwood said after the final buzzer. "But losing like that, it stings a little bit more."
Avalanche Fans Vent Frustration Online
The reaction from Colorado's fans was blunt and quick. Many social media pages were filled quickly after the final period.
"What a pathetic performance they put up," one fan wrote. Many had expected this to be a more competitive series, where the Avalanche, a Presidents' Trophy winner, was expected to at least make Vegas work through six or seven games.
"It is May 26. Winter is over. Avalanche season is over," another fan posted flatly.
"That was pathetic," one more fan added, keeping his verdict blunt and straightforward. Other comments kept coming in with frustration.
"I'm just p****d I didn't get a good series and a wild Game 7. Vegas just buried them."
"Looks like the Avs are frauds after all this time…" one fan wrote, criticizing Colorado's regular-season performance as it didn't translate into this match.
Read more at NHL Fan Central!
Written by
Aadhya Nalla
Edited by
Ankita Yadav