WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 24: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals and Justin Williams #14 of the Carolina Hurricanes shake hands after the Hurricanes defeated the Capitals 4-3 in the second overtime period in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on April 24, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Hurricanes' Williams: Matchup with Capitals wasn't 'just another series'

Patrick McDermott / National Hockey League / Getty

The latest upset in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs carried added meaning for "Mr. Game 7."

Carolina Hurricanes captain Justin Williams acknowledged as much after his club eliminated one of his former teams, the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals, in double overtime in Game 7 on Wednesday night.

"There's a little bit extra," Williams told reporters postgame, including The Associated Press' Stephen Whyno. "I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to say this is just another series."

The 37-year-old forward, who set up Brock McGinn's game-winning goal, wasn't going to be satisfied with merely making the postseason.

On the first day of the season, I said something about how “obviously the goal is making the playoffs—

Williams cut me right off.

“That isn’t the goal.”
— Sara Civ (@SaraCivian) April 25, 2019