Malkin traditionally steps up with Crosby out of Penguins' lineup

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without Sidney Crosby for Game 4 against the Washington Capitals as a result of a concussion suffered by the superstar center in the previous contest.

While there's no timetable for his return, his absence from the Penguins' lineup and from the game as a whole can't be understated, with nary a silver lining to be found.

Related: Crosby diagnosed with concussion, won't play Game 4

Perhaps the only positives here for the Penguins are that they maintain a 2-1 series lead over the Capitals, and the steady presence of another superstar center in Evgeni Malkin, who's been quite brilliant when Crosby has been forced out of the lineup in the past.

According to Craig Custance of ESPN, Malkin has played 118 games without Crosby, registering 66 goals and 88 assists for a total of 154 points. That works out to a point per game average of 1.31, which is higher than his overall career regular-season mark of 1.18.

In these playoffs, Malkin leads all players with 15 points through eight games (four goals, 11 assists), including a strike and a helper within the final two minutes of Game 3 to send it to overtime, where Washington eventually came out on top.

Malkin will need to continue at that clip for however long Crosby is out in order for the Penguins to defend their Stanley Cup title, and history suggests that should not be a problem.