DENVER — Nathan MacKinnon’s childhood idol and role model has turned into a training partner and one of his closest friends. MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby have developed a tight bond, which made winning the 4 Nations Face-Off title together with Canada even more special. They just bring out the best in each other, whether it’s as teammates internationally or as rivals in the NHL. Crosby showed MacKinnon he still has some tricks up his sleeves by getting the better of the Colorado center on several faceoffs Tuesday. Now, they go their separate ways as MacKinnon helps the Avalanche chase a playoff spot, while Crosby and the Penguins are likely missing the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
