Former Quinnipiac star Clifton helps lift Bruins
Cliffy Hockey has not had frequent chances to shine in recent months.
With Jeremy Lauzon moving into a regular role on defense with the Boston Bruins, former Quinnipiac star Connor Clifton or “Cliffy Hockey” as he is affectionately known to his teammates, would typically be a healthy scratch. Clifton didn’t play in 29 consecutive games and when the NHL restarted after being shut down by COVID-19, he was in the lineup just once in the first six contests.
Clifton returned to the ice on Monday with a vengeance. With the Bruins trailing the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 heading into the third period and showing little life offensively, especially when both teams were playing at full strength, it was Clifton who assisted on Jake DeBrusk’s first goal and then tied the game with a perfectly placed one-timer.
Clifton’s first multiplepoint game in the NHL helped the Bruins rally for a 4-3 win to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven game series.
“Great pass by Nordy [Joakim Nordstrom] but I was ready to shoot all the way,” Clifton said in a video conference call with the media following the game. “I guess second intermission Butchie [Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy] was harping on getting more pucks to the net and bodies [in front]. We did exactly that, great net-front presence from those guys in front and fortunately, it went in.”
It was the third Stanley Cup Playoff goal for Clifton, who also scored against Carolina in the 2019 Eastern Conference Final series and opened the Stanley Cup Final with a goal against St. Louis in the opening game.
“We challenged the D after the first period to be more involved in terms of helping create offense, get your shots through and working the offensive blue line well,” Cassidy said. “Cliffy, he wanted to let the coaching staff know or myself personally that, ‘hey, they can do it, they can get the job done.’ I was very happy for him. He’s come into the lineup, hasn’t played a lot of hockey. A couple of points tonight, a big goal for us and that fourth line, Nordy deserves to be rewarded, they played hard and have been really, really good for us. It was nice to see them get on the scoresheet as well.”
Clifton’s goal was part of a four-goal onslaught as Carolina looked to be on its way to tying the playoff series 2-2.
Brad Marchand scored 90 seconds after Clifton’s goal to give Boston the lead and DeBrusk’s second goal of the game at 14:17 would prove to be the game-winning tally as Carolina scored with 1:27 remaining in the third period after the Bruins had the first 16 shots in the period.
It is not the first time Clifton has produced in the postseason. He had a goal and 10 assists with four multi-point efforts in five games to lead Quinnipiac to the 2016 ECAC tournament title. In 22 ECAC or NCAA tournament games during his four seasons at Quinnipiac, Clifton had three goals, 11 assists and was +21. He also assisted on Quinnipiac’s only goal in the 2016 national championship game loss to North Dakota.
Clifton, who also had three hits, no giveaways and had a plus 2 rating in nearly 15 minutes of ice time, is hoping to be in the lineup again when the Bruins try to clinch the series against the Hurricanes on Wednesday afternoon. Clifton will roll with the punches regardless of the lineup decisions made by Cassidy and his coaching staff.
“It was an awesome game, but honestly I’ve been ready,” Clifton said. “I’ve been preparing physically and mentally for the past five months so it was just about getting an opportunity, trying to just compete and play hard and I was fortunate enough to get a goal.”
Clifton isn’t the only former Quinnipiac defenseman making an impact in the playoffs. Devon Toews, who was Clifton’s teammates for three seasons with the Bobcats, had an assist in each of the four games as the New York Islanders eliminated the Florida Panthers.
BISHOP SIGNS
Former Sacred Heart star Maddie Bishop has signed with the NWHL’s Connecticut Whale.
Bishop had 33 goals and 58 assists for 91 points in 127 career games with the Pioneers. She was named to the All-NEWHA First Team as a senior after finishing with 11 goals and 19 assists.
Bishop was drafted by the Whale in the fifth round of the 2020 NWHL Draft in April.