The Colorado Avalanche clinched at least the third seed in the Central Division after a gritty 3–2 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights. While the game lacked playoff-level intensity—with both teams fielding depleted lineups—it still held meaningful playoff implications for both clubs.
Vegas struck first, scoring in both the first and second periods. But Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood shut the door from that point on, allowing Colorado to claw its way back. A controversial goal that needed video review tied things up, and the Avalanche carried that momentum through the shootout. Jimmy Vesey, part of a surging third line, notched the game-tying goal, and Charlie Coyle netted the decisive shootout tally.
Locked into the Central Bracket
With the overtime point, the Avalanche have now guaranteed themselves a spot in the Central Division playoff bracket. That eliminates the chance of being bumped into the Pacific bracket as a wild card. Their most likely first-round opponent will be either the Winnipeg Jets or the Dallas Stars, depending on how the final games play out.
A long shot at catching Dallas for the second seed still exists—thanks to the Stars’ historic collapse against Vancouver, where they gave up three goals in the final minute. But for the Avalanche to leapfrog them, they’ll need to win all three of their remaining games in regulation, while Dallas would have to lose all four of theirs in regulation. Only then would Colorado edge them out via tiebreaker in regulation wins.
Round 1 Scenarios: Dallas vs. Winnipeg
A pivotal matchup between Dallas and Winnipeg looms Thursday. A Jets win likely seals the second seed, while a Stars win tightens the race. Colorado fans will be watching closely to see who they’ll face in the opening round.
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While the Avs beat Winnipeg convincingly in last year’s playoffs and struggled against Dallas, the dynamic has shifted. Winnipeg’s roster is deeper overall, though lacking center depth, and they’re currently without winger Gabe Vilardi. Dallas, meanwhile, is still without elite defenseman Miro Heiskanen, which could drastically affect their blue-line performance if he misses Round 1.
Health Matters — and the Avs May Have the Edge
The Avalanche have their own injury woes, including missing key contributors like Martin Necas, Jonathan Drouin, Sam Girard, Josh Manson, and Ross Colton. But none are considered long-term absences, and the team hopes to have most of them back before the playoffs begin.
Even more encouraging: Gabriel Landeskog’s long-awaited return could become reality during the first round, providing a major emotional and physical boost to Colorado’s lineup.
Depth Stepping Up
Though Valeri Nichushkin opened the scoring with a power-play goal, it was Colorado’s revamped bottom six that really swung the momentum. The third and fourth lines generated high-quality scoring chances and controlled play for large stretches, giving the Avs confidence heading into the postseason.
With renewed depth, improving health, and their captain possibly returning, the Avalanche are entering the playoffs with increasing clarity—and serious momentum
