Colorado Avalanche Clinch First 2026 NHL Playoff Spot with Convincing Win Over Blackhawks
The Colorado Avalanche secured the first playoff berth in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, powering past the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 on Friday night in Chicago.
Martin Necas sparked the offense with a goal and two assists, while Nathan MacKinnon added three assists to drive the attack. Brock Nelson, Nazem Kadri and Valeri Nichushkin also found the net, giving Colorado a balanced scoring edge in their season-opening game of a four-game road trip.
The Avalanche dominated early, firing 20 shots on goal to Chicago’s five in the first period alone. That pressure carried into a strong third frame, helping them snap a rough stretch where they had lost four of five games, including a 7-2 home defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Coach Jared Bednar pointed to a recent 2-1 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars as a positive sign, and his team responded with the structure and intensity needed against a struggling Blackhawks squad.
This victory improved Colorado to 45-13-10, pushing them past the 100-point mark for the fifth consecutive season and extending their playoff streak to nine straight years, tied with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the longest active run in the league.[2][4][6] It marked just the third time in franchise history during an 82-game schedule that the Avalanche locked in a postseason spot in fewer than 70 games, previously achieving the feat in 67 games during 1996-97 and 69 games in 2000-01.
Bednar praised the team’s execution, noting it positioned them well with plenty of season remaining. Necas echoed that sentiment, calling it a complete effort that few opponents could match if sustained.
The win bolstered Colorado’s hold on first place in the Central Division and Western Conference, opening a four-point gap over the Dallas Stars and a 10-point lead on the Minnesota Wild. With key players like captain Gabriel Landeskog and Artturi Lehkonen nearing returns during the road trip, the Avalanche can now shift focus from clinching to peaking for a deep playoff run.
For a franchise with championship experience, this early milestone underscores their consistency amid a competitive race, especially with Dallas surging on a 15-1-1 run in recent games. Chicago, meanwhile, remained near the bottom of the Central, highlighting the gap between playoff contenders and lottery hopefuls.
THE AVS ARE FIRST TO CLINCH 🗣️
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 21, 2026
For the ninth straight year, the Colorado Avalanche are #StanleyCup Playoff bound 👊 pic.twitter.com/tKGzH66s9Q
