Golden Knights sweep Avalanche to advance to third Stanley Cup Final in nine seasons

Vegas’ Golden Knights completed a 2-1 victory to sweep the Colorado Avalanche and advance to the Stanley Cup Final, the franchise’s third appearance in nine seasons. Brayden McNabb found Mark Stone with a lob pass for a first-period goal, and Cole Smith added a late tally to build a two-goal margin that proved decisive. The Knights’ defense locked down Colorado, stifling the high-powered offense as they closed out the series. Vegas entered the series as strong favorites, with Caesars Sportsbook listing a 30-1 outlook at the outset. Carter Hart stopped 20 shots, coming within 2:03 of his first playoff shutout in six years, while Gabriel Landeskog finally scored late to spoil the bid. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar credited Vegas as a well‑oiled machine peaking at the right time, even as his Presidents’ Trophy–winning team was swept. Nathan MacKinnon, who led the regular season with 53 goals, failed to score in any of the four games. The Knights will await the Eastern Conference champion—Carolina or Montreal—to determine their Final opponent.