Vegas heads into Game 2 of the Western Conference Final up 1-0 after a 4-2 win in Denver on May 20. Colorado is still a heavy favorite at home, with the market pricing in both its regular-season edge (121 points) and the urgency spot.
Tonight’s number is tilted toward Colorado (about -205 on the moneyline) with a 6.5 total shaded to the under. With both clubs staying in Denver between Games 1 and 2, this is a clean rest and travel setup with no back-to-back factor.
From a regular-season profile standpoint, this matchup is Colorado’s elite shot volume and goal prevention against Vegas’ strong special teams and low shots allowed.
Odds & Game Info
Odds are from BetOnline. Odds as of 6:58 a.m. ET on May 22, 2026.
| Info | Details |
|---|---|
| Matchup | Vegas Golden Knights @ Colorado Avalanche |
| Date | May 22, 2026 |
| Start time | 8:00 PM ET |
| Arena | Ball Arena (Denver, CO) |
| Projected starting goalies | VGK: Carter Hart | COL: Scott Wedgewood (not officially confirmed) |
| Notable injury watch | VGK: Mark Stone (lower-body, missed Game 1) | COL: Cale Makar (missed Game 1, status unclear) |
Betting lines for this matchup:
| Spread (Puck Line) | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado -1.5 (+124) | Vegas +1.5 (-154) | Colorado -205 | Vegas +168 | Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-134) |
Team Records
This table focuses on regular-season results and betting outcomes.
| Team | Record | Last 10 | ATS | O/U |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegas Golden Knights | 39-26-17 | 7-0-3 | 34-48 | 39-39 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 55-16-11 | 7-2-1 | 41-40 | 33-46 |
Team records reference: https://www.nhldb.com/team/colorado-avalanche-21
Team Stats
These are full-season, per-game rates.
| Team | Goals per game | Goals allowed per game | Power play % | Penalty kill % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegas Golden Knights | 3.22 | 2.95 | 24.6% | 81.4% |
| Colorado Avalanche | 3.63 | 2.40 | 17.1% | 84.6% |
Recaps
Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas took Game 1, 4-2, despite being outshot 38-28. The Golden Knights went 1-for-2 on the power play, and Carter Hart stopped 36 of 38 shots (.947) to steal the high-volume portions of the game.
In the regular season, Vegas paired a top-tier power play (24.6%) with strong shot suppression (24.4 shots against per game), but its team save percentage sat at .879, a key reason many of its wins required outscoring stretches.
Colorado Avalanche
Colorado generated 38 shots in Game 1 but finished with two goals, one at even strength and one on the power play (1-for-3). Scott Wedgewood allowed three goals on 27 shots before the empty-netter, and Colorado’s push came late but never fully flipped the game state.
Across the regular season, Colorado’s profile was dominant: 3.63 goals per game, 2.40 goals allowed per game, and a 56.4% shot attempt share. The one soft spot was efficiency on the power play at 17.1%, which matters in a series where Vegas took the fewest times shorthanded per game (2.49).
Matchup Keys
- Colorado’s shot volume vs Vegas’ shot suppression: COL 33.7 shots for per game (1st) vs VGK 24.4 shots against per game (2nd).
- Special teams clash: VGK power play 24.6% vs COL penalty kill 84.6% (best regular-season unit on the board).
- Possession baseline: COL shot attempt share 56.4% vs VGK 52.3%, giving Colorado more paths to win if finishing normalizes.
- Where Vegas can keep this close: Colorado’s 17.1% power play vs a Vegas team that was shorthanded just 2.49 times per game.
- Goaltending swing factor: Colorado’s team save % (.908) materially outpaced Vegas (.879) in the regular season, but Hart won Game 1 outright with 36 saves.
Betting Trends
- Colorado went 33-46 to the over/under in the regular season, a strong under lean.
- Vegas finished 39-39 to the over/under in the regular season.
- Colorado was 26-9-6 at home in the regular season.
- Vegas was 19-14-8 on the road in the regular season.
- Vegas closed the regular season on a 7-0-3 run over its final 10 games.
- Colorado closed the regular season 7-2-1 in its final 10 games.
- Colorado ranked 1st in goals allowed per game (2.40) and 5th in shots allowed per game (26.1).
- Vegas ranked 2nd in shots allowed per game (24.4), which supports lower-event game scripts when it’s leading.
- Colorado was 41-40 ATS (puck line) in the regular season; Vegas was 34-48.
Best Bet
Under 6.5 (-134). Colorado’s regular-season defense was the best in the league by goals allowed per game (2.40), and both teams are built to limit clean looks: Vegas allowed only 24.4 shots against per game and Colorado 26.1. Game 1 finished with six total goals and required an empty-netter to reach 4-2, which is the type of scoring profile that still lands under 6.5 more often than not. Unless Colorado’s finishing spikes dramatically early, this total is asking for a pace that neither club needs in a 1-0 series.
Predicted Score
Our computer projections model for this matchup predicts a final score of Colorado 3, Vegas 2.
21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.