from Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun,

Hours after he didn’t provide much leadership for the Washington Capitals, Justin Williams set out to make amends.

Williams didn’t play smart hockey in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers, taking eight minutes in penalties in the first half of the game.

There’s no argument that Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth was the reason Philadelphia escaped to force Game 6 on Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center. It didn’t help the Caps’ cause that Williams’ continuous trips to the penalty box made it tougher for Washington to carry momentum.

Following an optional Capitals practice on Saturday at their suburban practice facility, Williams verbally demonstrated why the club signed him out of free agency last summer. Williams’ experience gained through winning the Stanley Cup three times (in 2014 and 2012 with Los Angeles and in 2006 with Carolina) showed when he poured cold water on the idea there is any kind of panic in the Capitals dressing room.

Thanks to the 75 saves made by Neuvirth in the past two games, the Flyers have thrust themselves back in the series and would tie the best-of-seven 3-3 with a win on Sunday. A Caps win and it’s a Washington-Pittsburgh matchup in the second round.

“We just need to take a deep breath, relax and realize the task at hand is winning one game, nothing more than that,” Williams said. “The first round is tough, just like any other round. Nothing’s for free and we have to earn it on the road now.”

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