“Just doing a couple things that we’ve haven’t been able to do the past couple of weeks,” Avs center Brock Nelson said.

In one day, Nicolas Roy went from cellar-dweller to Stanley Cup or bust.

Rarely does a 10-second clip inside a hockey game tell the story of an entire playoff series, let alone one that doesn’t feature a goal or even a momentum-shifting save.

The Colorado Avalanche beat the Los Angeles Kings 5-1, sweeping the first round of the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Sunday, April 26, 2026.

MacKinnon, who led the Avs with two goals and three points, sent a message from La-La Land to both rivals in Game 4: He’s done taking hits. No. 29’s taking names. And keeping receipts.

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and added an assist, while Scott Wedgewood made 24 saves to finish the series with just five goals allowed.