Article contentSince that initial adjustment period, MacPherson has 10 points in his past 13 games, including three two-point games. Those are solid numbers for anyone but especially for someone who doesn’t play on the power play.Article contentEven more impressive is his defensive work. The Windsor, Ont., native leads the team at plus-13, putting him ahead of defenceman Eddy Doyle, who is plus-11. And the next-highest rating is Liam Kilfoil at plus-six so there’s a pretty good case to be made MacPherson is the best two-way player on the team.Article content“I really embrace my defensive game,” MacPherson said. “I like to take pride in what I do in D zone and I feel like whoever I play with, I enforce that and they kind of stick to that as well. I think that just makes our lines better when everyone’s connected to the D zone and we all care about not wanting to get scored on.”Article contentAnother major adjustment for MacPherson this year was being separated from his twin brother for the first time in his life. Ryan MacPherson is a sixth-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers and remains in the UNH program.Article contentArticle content“It’s the first time ever we haven’t played on the same team,” MacPherson said. “Ever since we started skating, probably when we were, like, four years old playing Timbits, we always played on the same line on the same team every year so, yeah, this was a little different. And it’s also just not having him here with me this year.Article content“It’s a little bit different not living with him. Even when I was in Penticton (playing Junior A) and at school, we lived together, so just having kind of a built-in best friend was always nice. But we still FaceTime and talk all the time. We’re both still getting used to it but I don’t find it’s been too much of a big deal. And he’s having a great year so far. He’s been in the lineup a lot lately and he’s been tearing it up so I’m just happy to see him doing well and hopefully I’ll be joining him back there next year.”Article contentFor now, MacPherson is giving Halifax head coach Brad MacKenzie everything he could ask for as a reliable two-way third-liner. But as he continues to show more flashes of skill as his comfort level increases, it’s worth remembering what’s on his resume.Article contentArticle contentMacPherson had 120 points in 91 games over two seasons for the Leamington Flyers in the Ontario Junior A ranks and won the league’s MVP award and Sutherland Cup final MVP in 2022-23. He later averaged close to a point per game for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL.Article content“I’ve had a lot of talks with Brad and he thinks I’m a guy that can be used anywhere in the lineup, whether that’s the first line or the fourth, so I embrace that,” said MacPherson, who is fifth in team scoring with 12 points in 19 games. “Recently I’ve been on a line with Blakes and Waltz, like I mentioned, and I think we’ve been great. I’ve had no complaints. Each game I feel we get better and better and read each other more and more. So I think just moving forward, whether we keep that line together or Brad wants me to play somewhere else, he wants me to be ready for anything.”Article contentThe Mooseheads return to the road for another demanding stretch. They have three games in Quebec, starting on Wednesday against the Quebec Remparts, and then face the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Friday and the Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Saturday.Article contentThey’ll bus home after that trip before flying to St. John’s a few days later for their first two-game set against the Newfoundland Regiment next weekend. The Mooseheads sit in a tie for third place in the Eastern Conference with an 11-6-1-1 record and are coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to the Moncton Wildcats at home on Saturday.Article content
Mooseheads’ Connor MacPherson adjusts from NCAA to QMJHL: ‘I feel like I’ve really found my stride’
