(Caps Outsider)
Justin Williams’ legacy as a clutch playoff performer was safe long before he got to Washington. A three-time Stanley Cup champion and 2014 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, “Mr. Game 7” was brought to D.C. because of his playoff experience. On Thursday, he delivered, almost single handedly digging the Caps out of an early two-goal hole.
Tom Wilson is a fourth line tough guy who kills penalties and hits people hard. He threw the puck at the net in overtime, giving the Caps a Game 1 victory. It was his first career playoff goal.
On a team with hotshot scorers like Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie, magician passers like Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov, and plenty of talent in between, the hockey script writers couldn’t have typed the Game 1 treatment any better.
“It feels good, doesn’t it?” Williams was heard saying to Wilson in the hallway after the game.
Indeed it does. Onward.
