NLL Insider

Tyler Codron (Photo: Matt J. Wiater)

Tyler Codron (Photo: Matt J. Wiater)

With Toronto sporting a new coaching staff, Rochester feeling reinvigorated after last week’s confidence boost, San Jose looking for inspired performances on O and Boston riding a high that saw them sweep the Wings last week, there’s a ton of story lines to watch this weekend.

Who’s playing the secondary roles for the teams competing during Week 5 in the NLL?

Find out after the jump, with one name making his second appearance in the Weekend Warriors.

Chad Thompson  -  Toronto Rock

With the Rock’s two-way game severely lacking, especially in the finishing department, we thought for sure the team would fit transitional stud Chad Thompson into their Week 3 lineup. We were wrong, but the Rock continued to struggle to get much O production outta their press, still only sitting at one goal from either a defender or tranny this year. You gotta think Thompson sees some time this weekend, playing the kinda game Jamie Batley type players usually run. Plus he’s dying to get back on the rug after sitting out last season with that knee injury. More below…

• Chad Thompson on track for 2009 return: NLL Insider

Tyler Codron  -  Portland Lumberjax

There’s been a lot made of the potential record breaking season Brodie Merrill is having, or the big transitional games the Jax’s are getting from vets like Scott Stewart and Peter Morgan, but 2008 All-Rookie team member Tyler Codron is having one damn fine season of his own. The hard hitting, athletic defender is averaging a goal per outing this year and blasted the Edmonton Rush last week for a hat-trick and two helpers in a huge win. It’ll be performances like Codron’s been giving Portland this year that will counter the Blazers’ own up tempo game when the two teams clash tonight. If styles make games, Portland vs. Boston could be this weekend’s most explosive dance.

Steve Toll  -  Rochester Knighthawks

After supposedly almost being dealt to Toronto at last year’s trade deadline, Toll is showing the NLL that he’s still one of the most important two-way guys in the league this year, one of the few K’Hawks that has given almost everything he has to give in during this disappointing 0-4 run to start the year. He may be getting held off the score-sheet, but he sits fifth in the league in LB numbers with only four games played. The Rock O has gained a bit of a rep for allowing defenders to snow ‘em going the other way and if Toll can do what he did for so many years in TO, expect him to at least bury a pair tonight. He’ll likely be a huge difference maker in the Hawks’ first win of the season.

• Steve Toll #47 NLL Insider Top 50: NLL Insider

Matt Roik  -  San Jose Stealth

No knock on either Stealth backup, with Tyler Richards giving them 45 good minutes last week, but think it’s safe to say that there’s no dispute that Matt Roik is definitely this team’s first string keep. With Roik suspended last week for an incident stemming for an earlier game against Calgary, the Stealth allowed by far the most amount of goals in a single game this winter in their loss to the Necks. Roik, who was arguably the best goalie in the second half of 2008, is obviously gonna be pivotal if the Stealth have any hopes of even making the playoffs this season. If a W is gonna be had tonight against a hungry Rush team, it’ll no doubt be due to Roik standing on his head.

Andrew Leyshon  -  Colorado Mammoth

It sounds as if the Mammoth will more than likely go with Leyshon in the cage tonight over newly signed vet Curtis Palidwor. Although many are pulling their hair out due to the team’s lack of fire-power and now injury to Gee Nash, what most are failing to notice is that they are getting some pretty solid tending from Leyshon, who has allowed just 11 goals in close to 75 minutes of lacrosse. Even if they still haven’t figured things out up front tonight, Leyshon should give them enough to challenge for the W in a low scoring affair.

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