2026 NHL Series: May 20 Matchup Fixtures & Prediction

The NHL playoffs are back, with the Avalanche and Golden Knights set to face another epic battle in the Western Conference. Both clubs have been among the best over recent years, establishing top playoff records and a championship-winning legacy. Previous meetings between the two teams have shown how evenly matched they are, and each game has grown more intense.

Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes clash with the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Finals. It should be another exciting National Hockey League series full of big hits, star power, and unthinkable moments.

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Rise of the Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche is a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado. They are a member of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the NHL. The franchise was originally established in 1972 as the Quebec Nordiques of the World Hockey Association. They succeeded in entering the subsequent NHL-WHA merger of 1979. After moving to Denver in 1995, the franchise has become one of the more successful teams in the NHL. They won more division titles than any other franchise from 1995 until 2016 and consistently made the playoffs. The team has won three Stanley Cups: 1996, 2001, and 2022, and remains unbeaten in NHL final appearances.

Team trophies awarded to the Colorado Avalanche franchise

Award	Description	Times won	Seasons
Stanley Cup	NHL championship	3	1995–96, 2000–01, 2021–22
Presidents’ Trophy	Most regular season points	4	1996–97, 2000–01, 2020–21, 2025–26
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl	Western Conference playoff championship	3	1995–96, 2000–01, 2021–22
Avco World Trophy (WHA)	WHA championship	1	1976–77

Season-by-season record

The table below highlights the recent performances of the Colorado Avalanche over the past NHL seasons. Including their regular-season record, standings, and playoff results.

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses

Season	Record (W–L–OTL)	Points	Finish	NHL Playoffs
2021–22	56–19–7	119	1st, Central	Stanley Cup champions (vs Tampa Bay Lightning)
2022–23	51–24–7	109	1st, Central	Lost in first round (vs Seattle Kraken)
2023–24	50–25–7	107	3rd, Central	Lost in second round (vs Dallas Stars)
2024–25	49–29–4	102	3rd, Central	Lost in first round (vs Dallas Stars)

Vegas Ready to Shine Again

The Golden Knights are an American professional ice hockey team of the National Hockey League in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The Golden Knights are the newest team in the NHL, formed in 2017 as one of six new expansion teams. They are the first major professional sports team to represent Las Vegas.

The Golden Knights also became one of the most successful expansion teams in NHL history. In their 2017-18 debut, they reached the Stanley Cup Final, setting an NHL record for debut team playoff wins. Since then, the franchise has remained an annual playoff participant, making the postseason in seven of its first nine seasons. In 2023, the franchise won its first Stanley Cup Championship, the quickest a franchise has ever won the Cup.

Team trophies awarded to the Vegas Golden Knights franchise

Award	Description	Times won	Seasons
Stanley Cup	NHL championship	1	2022–23
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl	Western Conference playoff championship	2	2017–18, 2022–23

Season-by-season record

The table below highlights the recent performances of the Vegas Golden Knights over the past NHL seasons. Including their regular-season record, standings, and playoff results.

Season	Record (W–L–OTL)	Points	Finish	NHL Playoffs
2021–22	43–31–8	94	4th, Pacific	Did not qualify
2022–23	51–22–9	111	1st, Pacific	Stanley Cup champions (vs Florida Panthers)
2023–24	45–29–8	98	4th, Pacific	Lost in first round (vs Dallas Stars)
2024–25	50–22–10	110	1st, Pacific	Lost in second round (vs Edmonton Oilers)

Carolina Hurricanes Ready for the Big Stage

The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They are part of the Metropolitan Division of the NHL’s Eastern Conference. The franchise was formed in 1971 as the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association. In 1979, they joined the NHL as the Hartford Whalers. They moved to North Carolina in 1997 and became the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes have become one of the league’s more popular and respected franchises since moving to Raleigh. A crowning achievement was the franchise’s Stanley Cup win in 2006, defeating the Edmonton Oilers. It is the first professional hockey championship in North Carolina, recognized for its loyal fan base. The team has a very aggressive, exciting style of play; its home games are played at the Lenovo Center.

Team trophies awarded to the Carolina Hurricanes franchise

Award	Description	Times won	Seasons
Stanley Cup	NHL championship	1	2005–06
Prince of Wales Trophy	Eastern Conference playoff championship	2	2001–02, 2005–06
Avco World Trophy (WHA)	WHA championship	1	1972–73

Season-by-season record

The table below highlights the recent performances of the Carolina Hurricanes over the past NHL seasons. Including their regular-season record, standings, and playoff results.

Season	Record (W–L–OTL)	Points	Finish	NHL Playoffs
2021–22	54–20–8	116	1st, Metropolitan	Lost in second round (vs New York Rangers)
2022–23	52–21–9	113	1st, Metropolitan	Lost in conference finals (vs Florida Panthers)
2023–24	52–23–7	111	2nd, Metropolitan	Lost in second round (vs New York Rangers)
2024–25	47–30–5	99	2nd, Metropolitan	Lost in conference finals (vs Florida Panthers)

Upcoming NHL Fixtures:

1. Colorado Avalanche vs Vegas Golden Knights

Date: 20 May 2026 (Wednesday)

Time: 08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: Ball Arena, Denver

2. Carolina Hurricanes vs Montreal Canadiens

Date: 21 May 2026 (Thursday)

Time: 08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: Lenovo Center, Raleigh

Expected Lineup and Prediction:

Colorado Avalanche vs Vegas Golden Knights

Date: 20 May 2026 (Wednesday)

Time: 08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: Ball Arena, Denver

Standings:

• Colorado Avalanche: 1st in Central Division, 121 points
• Vegas Golden Knights: 1st in Pacific Division, 95 points

Colorado Avalanche Expected Lineup

Position	Players
Forwards	Jonathan Drouin — Nathan MacKinnon — Mikko Rantanen
Defensemen	Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Goaltenders	Alexandar Georgiev

Vegas Golden Knights Expected Lineup

Position	Players
Forwards	Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Jonathan Marchessault
Defensemen	Noah Hanifin — Alex Pietrangelo
Goaltender	Adin Hill

Prediction:

The Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights are set for another exciting matchup at Ball Arena. Both teams have been among the strongest sides in the Western Conference this season.

The Avalanche comes into this match with the upper hand over the Golden Knights. The Avalanche won two out of their three head-to-head games against the Golden Knights in the regular season. Home-court advantage for Colorado and their depth in attack could prove an advantage in this matchup.

Colorado was seen as more stable throughout the season than Vegas, particularly in their attacks. Colorado had been performing better when facing big challenges in important games. With their home crowd and the advantage of momentum behind them, the Avalanche are likely to secure their victory.

The pick: Colorado Avalanche

Carolina Hurricanes vs Montreal Canadiens

Date: 21 May 2026 (Thursday)

Time: 08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: Lenovo Center, Raleigh

Standings:

• 1 st in Metropolitan Division, 113 points
•  3 rd in Atlantic Division, 106 points

Carolina Hurricanes Expected Lineup:

Position	Players
Forwards	Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Defensemen	Jaccob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield
Goaltender	Frederik Andersen

Montreal Canadiens Expected Lineup:

Position	Players
Forwards	Nick Suzuki – Cole Caufield – Juraj Slafkovský,
Defensemen	Mike Matheson– Noah Dobson
Goaltender	Jakub Dobeš

Prediction:

The Hurricanes are set to host the Eastern Conference Finals at the Lenovo Center. The Carolina Hurricanes will enter the matchup with confidence after showing strong consistency throughout the playoffs.

The Hurricanes have been more balanced this year, with fair defensive play and quick attacking transitions. Their home-ice advantage in Raleigh could be a massive factor in giving them the early momentum in the series. Carolina’s current form makes it a slight favorite heading into the conference finals. The Carolina Hurricanes would hold the advantage early in the series.

The pick: Carolina Hurricanes

Conclusion:

The Avalanche vs Golden Knights series still has plenty of games left, while the Carolina Hurricanes battle against the Montreal Canadiens. The fans should be ready for even more twists and turns in the upcoming National Hockey League. Both teams have been playing way too close for the entire NHL season. There is no way each game will be easier to call than the one before it. Colorado and the Hurricanes may have managed to take a slight initial advantage. On the other hand, Vegas has the talent to make the next game even more exciting from the very start.