Sidney Crosby Suffers Apparent Head Injury After Cross-Check from Matt Niskanen

Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby went down with an apparent head injury during Monday's playoff game against the Washington Capitals.

According to SiriusXM NHL Network, Crosby appeared "very shaken up" after a hit by Matt Niskanen.

Crosby has stayed healthy for the last four years, notching at least 84 points and playing no fewer than 75 games every season during that span.

There was a time, however, when it looked like his career was going to hit the skids. He appeared in just 63 of a possible 164 games from 2010-11 to 2011-12 because of head and neck injuries and also missed 12 games in the lockout-shortened 2012-2013 season.

Crosby started this season banged up, missing the Penguins' first six games with a concussion. His history with concussions has been well-documented, which means the team will likely be extra cautious with its best player after this hit.

The Penguins are the defending Stanley Cup champions and have a loaded roster that includes Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel.

Crosby's presence takes Pittsburgh to another level, but it also has enough pieces to continue winning in the playoffs without him.