…besides the fact that the Kings scored and didn’t immediately give up a goal-against, is Clifford’s entire shift. In sequence:
- Clifford makes a terrible pass in the defensive zone, leading to extended Phoenix o-zone time, but…
- …cancels out his mistake by hounding the defenseman at the point, finally forcing the puck into the neutral zone…
- …where Phoenix regroups and attempts re-entry, only Clifford rides his man (Phoenix’s right d-man) into the boards, forcing a bad pass…
- …and causing the d-man to drop his stick…while
- Scuderi receives the turnover and chips it to Simmonds, who chips it to himself, meanwhile…
- Clifford on the opposite wing beats his backchecker (who is actually the defenseman Clifford separated from his stick) by several strides, drives to the net and scores.
And he almost followed it up two minutes later with a breakaway without a stick.