
Washington Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth leaves the game after being injured when Florida Panthers left wing Marco Sturm crashes into him in the second period in Washington on Thursday, April 5, 2012. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

Washington Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth (30) comes out of the game after being injured when Florida Panthers left wing Marco Sturm (16) crashes into him in the second period as the Washington Capitals take on the Florida Panthers in National Hockey League hockey at the Verizon Center, Washington, D.C., Thursday, April 5, 2012. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

Washington Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth leaves the game after being injured when Florida Panthers left wing Marco Sturm crashes into him in the second period in Washington on Thursday, April 5, 2012. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

Washington Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth (30) comes out of the game after being injured when Florida Panthers left wing Marco Sturm (16) crashes into him in the second period at the Verizon Center, Washington, D.C., Thursday, April 5, 2012. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

Washington Capitals left wing Marco Sturm reaches for the puck as New York Rangers defenseman Michael Sauer (38) tries to block along with Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30) defending in the first period of Game 3 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series at Madison Square Garden in New York, Sunday, April 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Washington Capitals left wing Marco Sturm reaches for the puck as Rangers defenseman Michael Sauer (38) tries to block along with Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30) defending in Game 3 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff series at Madison Square Garden in New York, Sunday, April 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Washington Capitals center Jason Arnott, center, celebrates his goal with Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia, and Marco Sturm (18), of Germany, during the second period in Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series on Friday, April 15, 2011, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

ASSOCIATED PRESS The Capitals' Marco Sturm, celebrating with teammate Nicklas Backstom after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, has been the perfect role-playing winger for a first-place team in need of depth.

Marco Sturm