The Colorado Avalanche have been the class of the NHL for most of the season. That makes a 7-2 loss even that much more jarring, which is what happened on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Colorado Avalanche have been on a roll this season, and as they face the Pittsburgh Penguins, one man seems to have his opponent's number.

There was a familiar face leaning over the boards from the visiting bench Monday morning at Ball Arena, but the black-and-gold attire was certainly a different look.

The Colorado Avalanche are in a tight battle with Dallas for first place in the Central Division, so every point matters. They can pick up two more when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night.

The road to the postseason just became a bit easier for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins continue their five-game road trip against the Colorado Avalanche at the Ball Arena. Puck drop is set for 9:30 PM ET. This game will be available to watch on SportsNet Pittsburgh, ESPN, Prime.

Pittsburgh Penguins fans surely don't want to see Evgeni Malkin go anywhere. That would've been true no matter what, but given the positive season that an aging Penguins team is having, there's likely even more sentimentality for an all-time great who has spent his entire career in Pittsburgh.