The 2026 NHL playoffs continue on Sunday with Game 1 of the Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings Western Conference playoff series. Colorado won the Central Division with a 55-16-11 record, while Los Angeles claimed the second wild-card spot in the West at 35-27-20.
The best-of-seven series begins with a 3 p.m. ET opening faceoff. Colorado is a -292 favorite (risk $292 to win $100) in the latest Avalanche vs. Kings odds, while the over/under for total goals scored is 5.5.
Avalanche vs. Kings Betting Odds
Money line: Avalanche -292, Kings +234
Over/Under: 5.5 goals
Puck line: Avalanche -1.5 (-114)
SportsLine Projection Model Analysis
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NHL game 10,000 times. The model enters the final week of the 2025-26 NHL season profitable on top-rated NHL picks this season, including a +550 return on top-rated money-line picks.
After 10,000 simulations of Kings vs. Avalanche, SportsLine's model is going Over on the total (5.5). These teams met three times this season with an Over, an Under and a push. Los Angeles saw two of its past three games hit the Over entering the playoffs.
The Avs lead the NHL with 3.63 goals per game and lead the league with 522 assists. The model projects six combined goals as the Over hits 54% of the time.
Top Player Predictions
SportsLine's model gives Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas and Brock Nelson the best chances to score a goal for Colorado. Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin are the two Kings with the best chances to score.