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Avalanche-Golden Knights will go 7 games, says Nathan MacKinnon
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- Avalanche-Golden Knights will go 7 games, says Nathan MacKinnon
Avalanche-Golden Knights will go 7 games, says Nathan MacKinnon appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Colorado Avalanche have lost just a single game in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, en route to their first trip to the Western Conference Final in four years — but superstar forward Nathan MacKinnon expects that number will increase before they're finished with the Vegas Golden Knights .
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"I just can't see this being a short series," the MVP candidate told reporters after practice on Tuesday, per NHL.com's Shawn P. Roarke. "It's going to be tough, and we're ready for a seven-gamer here."
MacKinnon has been far and away Colorado's best player in the postseason, amassing seven goals and 13 points in just nine games, along with a plus-seven rating.
It's no different from the regular-season; the Halifax, Nova Scotia native finished third in league scoring with 127 points in 80 contests.
"I mean it doesn't feel like a grind at all to me," the 30-year-old said when asked about the challenges the playoffs present. "I think we're all having a lot of fun, and we've been lucky enough to have a couple breaks in between series. The grind is more like January, February, like those months, you know, we're first and then you reset, and it's just so much fun playing.
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"I mean, last game was probably the most fun we've all had playing hockey. This is what we get up for, so I think everyone's feeling good right now."
The Avalanche won the President's Trophy as the NHL's top regular season team, and they've continued that dominance over the last month. Colorado swept the Los Angeles Kings in Round 1, before losing just once in the second-round against the Minnesota Wild .
They're the overwhelming favorite to win what would be a second Stanley Cup championship in five seasons, but the Golden Knights pose their toughest challenge yet.
Vegas has been here before with its current core, winning it all in 2023 and becoming the first franchise to advance to five West Finals within their first 10 years of existence.
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It promises to be a terrific series between a pair of clubs who are flush with postseason experience, and firmly in Stanley Cup or bust territory this spring.
The 2026 West Final gets underway on Wednesday night at Ball Arena, with puck drop scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET.
Related: Avalanche star Cale Makar's injury status after being ruled out for Game 1 vs. Golden Knights
Related: Brent Burns gets promising Game 1 update after missing a few Avalanche practices
