Nathan MacKinnon lays out a challenge for Sidney Crosby.

It's no secret that Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Colorado Avalanche star forward Nathan MacKinnon, just a couple of young men from Nova Scotia, Canada, have been good friends for a very long time.

In spite of being rivals on the ice the two Canadian hockey stars have built up a friendship over the years and have even gone on to star in commercials as a duo as a result of that friendship. That's why it came as no surprise on Sunday night when perhaps the happiest player in the league not playing for the Colorado Avalanche was none other than Sidney Crosby.

Crosby expressed genuine joy at his friend's success immediately following the conclusion of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, congratulating not only MacKinnon himself, but all of MacKinnon's loved ones as well for all the hard work they had put in on his long and difficult journey to a Stanley Cup championship.

"I am really happy for Nate," said Crosby on Sunday night. "I know how much it means to him and his family. I have seen how hard he’s worked to achieve this and glad that he’s got rewarded and gets to experience everything that comes with winning. It’s special."

It's not hard to see why Crosby is so happy for MacKinnon when you consider the fact that his friend has always been happy for his own success in the past. Following Game 6 MacKinnon revealed that he was often the most intoxicated of Crosby's guests when it came time to celebrate Crosby's Stanley Cup victories, and he proceeded to lay down the gauntlet for his buddy by challenging him to do the same when he throws his own party back home in Nova Scotia.

"I've been the drunkest guy at two of his, so he better be the drunkest guy at mine," said MacKinnon with a smile after Game 6.

Whether Crosby takes MacKinnon up on his challenge or not, it sounds like there's going to be a good time to be had in Nova Scotia this summer.