NHL Games on TV Today – Wednesday, May 20, 2026 (ET)
The conference finals begin tonight. One game on the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs schedule, and it is a heavyweight: the Vegas Golden Knights visit the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena for Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.
Coverage is on ESPN in the United States, with Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports carrying it in Canada.
Wednesday’s NHL Schedule at a Glance
| Time (ET) | Matchup | Round | US TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 PM | Vegas Golden Knights at Colorado Avalanche (Game 1) | Western Conference Final | ESPN |
🏒 Game of the Day: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Colorado Avalanche (Game 1)
8:00 PM ET | ESPN (US) · Sportsnet / CBC / TVA Sports (Canada)
Two division champions, two recent Stanley Cup winners, and arguably the best collection of talent left in the tournament. Colorado won the Central and the Presidents’ Trophy and lifted the Cup in 2022; Vegas won the Pacific and took the title in 2023. This is their first meeting in a conference final.
The Avalanche arrive rested, having eliminated Minnesota a week ago in a Game 5 that will be remembered for a while – down 3-0 in the second period, Colorado clawed back, Nathan MacKinnon tied it with 1:23 left on a six-on-five, and Brett Kulak won it 3:52 into overtime. MacKinnon leads the team with 13 points, Martin Necas has 11, and Scott Wedgewood is 7-1 with a 2.21 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.
But Colorado will be without Cale Makar tonight. The Norris-caliber defenseman is day-to-day after absorbing heavy hits in both Games 1 and 5 against Minnesota, and Jared Bednar has ruled him out – the first playoff game Makar will miss this spring. That is a substantial hole against this opponent.
Vegas has been the hottest team in the league offensively. Mitch Marner leads all playoff scorers with 18 points in 12 games, Jack Eichel is second with 15, and Pavel Dorofeyev tops the NHL with nine goals, with Brett Howden right behind on eight. Carter Hart has started every game and is 8-4 with a 2.37 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.
The Golden Knights have their own injury list, though. Captain Mark Stone is day-to-day with a lower-body issue and his availability is uncertain, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is out indefinitely with a hip injury, and Jeremy Lauzon has not played since the first round and is also out indefinitely.
Prediction: Missing Makar bites – Vegas steals Game 1 on the road and takes home-ice advantage.
The Eastern Conference Final Starts Thursday
Montreal completed the bracket on Monday, beating Buffalo 3-2 in overtime in Game 7 at KeyBank Center. Alex Newhook scored the winner at 11:22 of the extra period – his second Game 7 series-clinching goal of these playoffs after doing the same against Tampa Bay in the first round – and Jakub Dobes made 37 saves.
The Canadiens now travel to Raleigh to face a Carolina team that has not lost a game all postseason. The Hurricanes swept both Ottawa and Philadelphia and are 8-0, but they have not played since May 9. Game 1 is Thursday, May 21 at 8:00 PM ET on TNT, truTV and HBO Max.
Four teams left, two series, and one of the deepest final fours in years. It starts in Denver tonight.
