Montgomery was blunt: he doesn't like the Cliffy Hockey nickname.
"First of all, I want to say this: I do not like the term Cliffy Hockey," the coach said postgame. "Not from you guys [the media] using it, but within our room. It's funny, I actually spoke to him about it, I said 'I think the way it's brought up in the room and how it was born, it was born out of maybe him being too reckless. And Cliffy hockey going on his own page.'
"The player that I see is someone that knows very much how the team is playing, is always supporting the structure of the play, and has the ability because of his instincts to make high risk reward plays. Tonight, is the best game he's had in a while and I'm happy for him."
Clifton picked up a goal and an assist in 18:09 of ice time, including the game's opening tally at 10:51 of the first when he collected a loose puck in the neutral zone, sailed into the Florida end, threw a puck toward the crease, circled the net, found his rebound, and ripped a wrister by Panthers goalie Spencer Knight.
"I think it was just a good D-zone play, I had some speed after that turnover they had in the neutral zone, I tried to get it to net front to Hallsy, but it came right back to me at the other side of the net, so that worked out," said Clifton, whose goal was his third of the season, setting a career-high.
Cliffy Hockey? For those watching - yes. But not for Clifton himself.
"We talked about it the other day. We both hate it," Clifton, who also tied his career high of 10 points, said with a chuckle when asked about Montgomery not liking the Cliffy Hockey moniker. "I never really liked it, honestly. It is what it is. Sometimes you get a nickname, and it sticks. It's kinda what happened."