Connor Clifton

The Boston Bruins have needed some role players to play key minutes in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Bruins have lost their top-two defensemen during the best-of-seven series, currently tied at two-all. Hampus Lindholm was injured on a big hit in Game 2, though he is now trending in the right direction, and Charlie McAvoy was a surprise lineup scratch prior to Game 4, ruled out due to COVID-19 protocols.

Connor Clifton is back in the lineup for the Boston Bruins. Boston will face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night in a crucial matchup with only a few more games to go this season. Clifton last played March 29 and will pair with Derek Forbort in his return. For...

If Connor Clifton hadn’t scored with 2:59 left in regulation, Brad Marchand would have left Montreal with a bad taste in his mouth. Instead, he left as the hero and thanked his teammate for making it possible. If not for that goal, the Bruins likely would have lost and...

Clifton scored a goal and an assist in Monday's 3-2 overtime win over the Canadiens. He tied the game at 2-2 with just under three minutes left in the third period by coming off the blue line to take a Craig Smith pass and wire it past Jake Allen. It was Clifton's first goal since Dec. 11 and just his second of the season, and it gave him his first multi-point performance of the year -- the 26-year-old defenseman has only six points in 46 games.

Clifton registered an assist in Saturday's 5-4 shootout win over the Blue Jackets. This was just the third point in 39 games for Clifton, who serves as a third-pairing defenseman.

BOSTON — Things were getting chippy early at TD Garden on Saturday as the Boston Bruins hosted the Winnipeg Jets in an afternoon tilt, and defensemen Connor Clifton and Brandon Carlo each walked away with wins in their respective bouts. Clifton dropped the gloves and threw hands with Jets...

The Bruins had two of their regular defensemen available for Tuesday night’s game against the powerful Hurricanes, as another one departed the lineup. Both Matt Grzelcyk, who missed the last two games while in COVID protocol, and Connor Clifton (four games) were cleared. Mike Reilly, however, will be out...

Clifton exited the NHL's COVID-19 protocols Monday. Clifton has missed the last four games while in protocols. The 26-year-old has averaged 17:42 of ice time and logged one goal over his last 10 appearances. He is eligible to play in Tuesday's contest at home against Carolina.

Connor Clifton got stuck in Washington D.C. on Monday after he tested positive for COVID-19 before the Boston Bruins’ 7-3 walloping of the Capitals. It’s about an eight-hour drive from D.C. to Boston, and Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy did mention a possibility that the defenseman could take an Uber to get back home since Clifton was unable to travel with his team.

BOSTON - The Boston Bruins announced today, January 10, that defensemen Connor Clifton, Derek Forbort and one team staff member have been placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol. Need to Know: Bruins at Capitals. Charlie McAvoy likely to re-enter the lineup after missing last two games with lower-body injury. by...

The Bruins put two of their defensive regulars on the shelf before Monday’s game against the Capitals in Washington as Derek Forbert and Connor Clifton became the latest Boston players to do a stint in NHL COVID-19 protocols. Another staff member also entered protocols. The two blueliners joined Jake...

BOSTON — The Boston Bruins have placed two players in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol as the team looks to maintain its run of good form. The Bruins announced shortly after 6:15 p.m. Monday that defensemen Connor Clifton and Derek Forbort, along with one team staff member, entered COVID-19 protocol.

Clifton will not participate in Monday's contest with Washington due to "testing issues". Clifton and Derek Forbort experienced issues during their tests that will prevent them from playing Monday. The 26-year-old has averaged 17:42 of ice time and scored one goal in his last 10 games.

Clifton was placed on the COVID-19 list Monday. Clifton and teammate Derek Forbort had "testing issues" Monday and it's resulted in the pair going into protocols. The 26-year-old could be back in time for Wednesday's tilt with Montreal. He has two points in 22 games this season.

The Bruins will play their 14th game of the season on Saturday night in Philadelphia and we will see yet another third pair of defensemen. Mike Reilly, scratched the last two games, will return to the lineup and left-shot Jakub Zboril will move over to the right side and play with Reilly.

When the Bruins (finally) get back on the ice Saturday night, they will do so with some different-looking defense pairs. Boston will go with Jakub Zboril and Mike Reilly when it takes on the Philadelphia Flyers, meaning Connor Clifton will be a healthy scratch. Reilly was the odd man out for the Bruins’ last two games but figured to slot back in sooner rather than later.

BOSTON — The Bruins packed a game’s worth of action into 30 seconds in the second period of Tuesday’s tilt against the Senators. First, Connor Clifton and Alex Formenton went at it after Formenton hit Clifton high with a cross-check. Play moved down the ice, but the pair stayed on the Bruins’ side of the blue line and got in a scrap before they were pulled apart by referees.

The Boston Bruins have made some changes to the blue line so far this season. Boston hasn’t gotten out to the start it necessarily had hoped for sitting at 5-4 after nine games, but they will look to get back in the win column on Tuesday night as they welcome the Ottawa Senators to TD Garden.