MacKinnon and Crosby set to meet for first time when Avs take on Penguins Nathan MacKinnon has been compared to Sidney Crosby for much of his life. The two grew up in the same Canadian town and both went No. 1 in the NHL draft. Now they get to take a closer look at each other when MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche visit Crosby and the Penguins on Monday night. The Avalanche and Penguins are each off to a 7-1 start, with the natives of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, each playing a key role. The 26-year-old Crosby has seven goals and 10 assists for an NHL-best 17 points. MacKinnon, who turned 18 on Sept. 1, has a goal and six assists. MacKinnon says Crosby is "the best player in the world and he's on fire right now."