The Colorado Avalanche closed out their playoff series against the Los Angeles Kings with a commanding 5-1 win on Sunday, completing a four-game sweep in the Western Conference first round. Nathan MacKinnon led the charge with two goals and an assist in the decisive victory.
MacKinnon, who topped the NHL with 53 goals during the regular season, finally found the back of the net in his first postseason goals of the year. The Avalanche also received scoring from Cale Makar, Nicolas Roy, and Devon Toews, while Gabriel Landeskog contributed two assists. Goaltender Scott Wedgewood turned away 24 shots to secure the win that sends Colorado to face either Dallas or Minnesota in the next round.
Los Angeles managed just one goal from Joel Edmundson, assisted by Adrian Kempe and Alex Laferriere. Kings goalie Anton Forsberg made 27 saves on 31 shots before being pulled with 5:48 left in the game. MacKinnon capped the scoring just 20 seconds after the empty-net situation began.
The defeat brought an emotional end to the career of Kings captain Anze Kopitar, who had previously announced his intention to retire following this season. As the final minutes ticked away, Los Angeles fans showed their appreciation for Kopitar with chants, honoring his two decades with the franchise that included two Stanley Cup championships.
In other playoff action, Anaheim moved within one win of advancing by defeating Edmonton 4-3 in overtime. Ryan Poehling netted the game-winner for the Ducks, who now lead their series 3-1. Cutter Gauthier, Mikael Granlund, and Jeffery Viel also scored for Anaheim, while Connor McDavid recorded two assists for Edmonton in his 100th career playoff game.
Tampa Bay evened their series with Montreal at 2-2 after a 3-2 comeback victory. Brandon Hagel scored twice, including the winner with 4:53 remaining, as the Lightning overcame a two-goal deficit. Meanwhile, Buffalo took control of their series against Boston with a dominant 6-1 victory, building a 3-1 series lead behind a four-goal first period explosion.
