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The 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs continue Sunday with four Game 1 matchups. Eight more teams will begin their postseason journeys throughout the day. This follows three Game 1s that opened the playoffs on Saturday.
The Los Angeles Kings face the Colorado Avalanche at 3 p.m. ET on TNT. Colorado won the Presidents’ Trophy and clinched its playoff ticket first. Los Angeles was the final team to clinch its playoff spot.
Colorado swept all three regular-season games against Los Angeles. The aggregate score was 13-5 in favor of the Avalanche. The teams last met in the playoffs in 2002.
Colorado won that 2002 playoff series 4-3. The Avalanche aim to win their second Stanley Cup of the 2020s. They previously won the championship in 2022.
Nathan MacKinnon led Colorado in scoring this season. He recorded 127 points and is a Hart Trophy candidate. Adrian Kempe paced the Kings with 73 points.
The Montreal Canadiens play the Tampa Bay Lightning at 5:45 p.m. ET on TNT. These Atlantic Division rivals met in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. Tampa Bay won that series 4-1.
The 2021 Final occurred due to COVID-19-based realignment. Their previous traditional playoff meeting was in 2015. Tampa Bay won that 2015 series 4-2.
The two clubs split their regular-season series this year. The Canadiens will try to reverse the playoff trend this spring. The matchup renews a recent postseason rivalry.
Sunday’s full slate features key early series matchups. Teams will seek an early edge in their respective first-round series. Updated playoff stat leaders and highlights are available.
