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Portland's MacEachern still has soft spot for P.G.

The Western Hockey League website still lists Prince George as Conor MacEachern's hometown. Even though he kept an address in the city for less than a year. But that was a memorable season for MacEachern for all the right reasons.
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product Conor MacEachern, a defenceman for the Portland Winterhawks, tries to impede the progress of Cougars forward Jansen Harkins during last Friday’s opening game of the best-of-seven playoff series between the teams.

The Western Hockey League website still lists Prince George as Conor MacEachern's hometown.

Even though he kept an address in the city for less than a year.

But that was a memorable season for MacEachern for all the right reasons. Two years ago he helped the Cariboo Cougars major midget team win the Mac's Tournament and got the midget Cats all the way to the B.C. Hockey Major Midget League playoff final.

No wonder the 18-year-old Portland Winterhawks defenceman has a soft spot in his heart for P.G.

But as MacEachern learned in Game 2 of the Winterhawks' Western Conference quarterfinal playoff series Sunday at CN Centre, it didn't take long for him to draw the wrath of the Cougar faithful.

The crowd didn't like it when he and Colby McAuley roughed it up in the second period. Then he earned a second trip to the penalty box early in the third period when he elbowed Brad Morrison, who also drew a penalty. With the Cougars leading 5-1 late in the game, MacEachern's frustration with the score got his temper boiling and he cross-checked Brogan O'Brien to the ice behind the Portland net.

That added up to six minutes of sinbin time and no points for the native of Charlottetown, P.E.I., but he didn't leave town empty-handed. The Winterhawks won the series-opener on Friday 4-2 and MacEachern played a regular shift in both games, lined up on the left side with his defence partner, former Prince George Cougar Shaun Dosanjh.

The 'Hawks and Cougars were back on the ice Wednesday in Portland for Game 3 of the best-of-seven series.

Just before they played the Cougars on Sunday, next door at Kin 1 the Cariboo Cougars defeated the Greater Vancouver Canadians 4-0 to win the major midget league championship. They'll advance to the Telus Cup national tournament April 24 as the host team. MacEachern, who watched them beat the Canadians in Game 2 Saturday to tie the series, was happy for his former team and head coach Trevor Sprague.

"It was great I got to see them play, we were in the finals when I was here and we lost so it was great for Trevor to get one," said MacEachern.

As much as he benefited from the move to Prince George for his final season of midget hockey, MacEachern's bloodlines likely had something to do with how far he's advanced as a player. His father Dave was an Olympic gold medalist in 1998 in Nagano, teaming up with Pierre Lueders in the two-man bobsled event - the first Prince Edward Islander ever to win Olympic gold. The elder MacEachern won 28 Word Cup medals and was a silver medalist at the 1996 world championships in two-man bobsled. He also represented his province at the Canada Summer Games in soccer and track and field as a sprinter.

Dave's sister, Triona Harrop, lives in Prince George and she was Conor's billet while he was playing for the Cariboo Cats.

MacEachern finished his second season with the 'Hawks with a goal and five assists in 52 games to go with a minus-11 rating and 50 penalty minutes. He had two goals in 46 games in his rookie season in the WHL.

"I'm feeling really good out there and we have a really good group," said MacEachern. "Hopefully we can keep it going."

Portland head coach and general manager Mike Johnston has watched the six-foot-three, 190-pound MacEachern blossom into a tough and dependable blueliner with good wheels, capable of joining the rush at any time on a speedy Winterhawks team.

"I think he had limited playing time last year and he's really started to develop this year," said Johnston. "He's a bigger defenceman but he still has to fill out. He's a younger '98-born player (his birthday is Dec. 8) and I think once he gets bigger and stronger you're going to see the best of his game.

"He's turned into a good puck-moving defenceman and once he gets stronger he'll be able to play a better two-way defensive game."

Game 4 in the series will be played Thursday in Portland. MacEachern and the Winterhawks will be back in Prince George to face the Cougars in Game 5 Saturday at CN Centre.