Conrad Chapman is back in the saddle again.
After getting bucked out of the Vancouver Stealth a month lineup ago when his coaches decided he needed more time to learn the pro game as an observer from the stands, the 22-year-old National Lacrosse League rookie from Prince George returned to action last weekend in Connecticut.
The six-foot-six, 230-pound jackhammer was held off the scoresheet but provided a physical presence to spark the Stealth to an 11-9 win over the New England Black Wolves Sunday in Uncasville, Conn., moving Vancouver back into a playoff position. Chapman had been a healthy scratch the previous five games and hadn't played since a 17-9 loss in Edmonton on March 14.
"It's a very slim margin of error in this league and a few mistakes were made in Edmonton and I just had to work my way back into the lineup," said Chapman Friday afternoon, just before practice at Langley Events Centre.
"I think I had an OK game in Connecticut, a couple mistakes were made but aside from that I thought I had a solid game and did what the coaches wanted. Hopefully I'll get the nod to play (tonight)."
The Stealth (5-10) host the three-time defending NLL champion Rochester Nighthawks tonight in Langley. With three games left in the season, Vancouver ranks third in the West, a half-game ahead of the Calgary Roughnecks (5-11), who are down to their last two games. Rochester (10-4) is fighting with Toronto (12-4) for first place in the East.
If Vancouver beats the Nighthawks and Calgary loses its game tonight in Minnesota, the Stealth would be one win away from locking up its first playoff spot since 2013, when the team was based in Everett, Wash. Last year, in their first season in Langley, the Stealth won just four games and missed the playoffs.
"This is a huge game for us, Calgary plays Minnesota, which has already failed to make the playoffs, and that game could go in Calgary's favour, but we pretty much control our own destiny," said Chapman.
"From the feeling in the dressing room, the boys are ready to go and we'll take it to these guys. We've played really well at home. Most of the people are from around here and there's a big sense of pride playing in front of Vancouver fans. We just want to get our wins now and get into a bit of a roll before we go into playoffs."
Watching games from the press box wasn't much fun for Chapman. But it was time well spent if it helps him become a regular starter at transition.
"This league is extremely competitive, it's tough, every team has superstars," Chapman said.
"I've learned what the coaches and captains are preaching. I've watched a lot of film, which is something I didn't do before. You have to prepare more. What I thought was being ready to play, wasn't exactly being ready to play, especially when you're a rookie and you haven't played against all these guys yet.
"You have to watch video and learn their tendencies pretty quick."
Chapman has athletic genes and is built like his father Kurt, a six-foot-four, 240-pound football centre who played two seasons in the CFL for the Edmonton Eskimos in1985-86.
Chapman's size and speed are huge assets playing in the NLL against the best box lacrosse players in the world.
"It hasn't been a huge adjustment for me physically," said Conrad, who can focus more on lacrosse now that he's wrapped up his first-year studies in accounting at Camosun College in Victoria.
"You just have to play smart because everyone in this league is an athlete. It's more of a mind game, just trying to figure out what the opponent is going to try and do. I'm never really satisfied with the way I play and see myself playing a lot better."
Picked by the Stealth in the second round of the 2014 draft, 12th overall, Chapman has played in eight of Vancouver's 15 games and has two goals and five points to show for it. After three seasons of junior A lacrosse with the Victoria Shamrocks he made the jump to senior A in the WLA last year with the Nanaimo Timbermen. He'll return to Nanaimo to take aim at his first Mann Cup national championship once the NLL season ends.
Jeff Moleski, the other Prince George connection in the NLL, is expected to return to the Roughnecks' lineup tonight in Saint Paul, Minn., against the Swarm after missing four games with a pulled hamstring. Moleski, a 33-year-old defenceman, is in his 11th season in the NLL. Moleski, who played four seasons with the Stealth before signing with Calgary last September as a free agent, has one goal and eight assists in 12 games this season.
Calgary (5-11) has a bye next weekend and will finish out the regular season May 2 in Langley against the Stealth. The Stealth will be on the road next Saturday in Buffalo.
"We really think we can pull out a couple games here and not have that situation where we have to battle it out with Calgary in the end," said Chapman.
"Every game now has to be the best game of our lives."
