VANCOUVER -- The biggest knock against Gershon Koffie with the Vancouver Whitecaps has been his consistency. Earl Mitchell Jersey . An imposing presence in midfield, the Ghanaian would be the best player on the pitch one game and virtually invisible the next. After starting the 2014 campaign on the bench, Koffie has finally begun to live up to expectations on a daily basis, and both he and the Whitecaps have one of the teams new acquisitions at least partly to thank. Toronto FC dealt Matias Laba to Vancouver right before the start of the season and the Argentine midfielder has slotted seamlessly into the centre of rookie head coach Carl Robinsons formation. The workhorse not only cleans up danger in front of the Whitecaps defence, he also allows Vancouvers attacking players to push forward -- with Koffie being one of the main beneficiaries thus far. The 22-year-old scored from 40 yards out after pouncing on a goalkeeping error in last weekends 2-2 draw with the Seattle Sounders, and had three other clear-cut chances, including a shot that rattled the crossbar in the games opening minutes. "Gersh has got incredible attributes. Hes got the physical strength. When he makes a tackle and he means it, no ones going to beat him. Hes really that powerful," Whitecaps assistant coach Martyn Pert said Thursday. "The consistency part of the game is still something that hes got to really work hard at, and hes getting there, thats four or five games on the spin now hes been very good. "Hes got to keep it going, keep the foot on the pedal and keep driving." Robinson favoured Nigel Reo-Coker in the centre of midfield at the start of the season, but after the Englishman was injured in an off-field incident the Whitecaps turned to Koffie. "I dont think I was disappointed to be on the bench, but that motivated me," said Koffie, whose goal against Seattle was his first of the season. "I have to embrace it because my fellow mates were doing well and it was a coachs decision." Koffie -- who has already played 93 games in his Major League Soccer career -- said Robinson has asked him to go forward more in his attack-minded system, and credits Laba with allowing him that freedom to roam. "Playing with Matias Laba gives me the license to go forward and get some chances," said Koffie. "I know hes there to work the defensive part and delay (opponents) before we can get back in (formation)." Labas tenacity has also rubbed off on his midfield counterpart, who tracked back on more than one occasion against Seattle to help out Vancouvers back line. "(Labas) a guy who sets the tone," said Koffie. "If you play next to him, he goes in for tackles (and) you have to do the same. If he goes in chasing the ball, you have to do the same, because you cant let him do the job (alone)." Also just 22, Laba was a casualty of Toronto FCs winter spending spree, with the club unable to retain the designated player it acquired last season. "I didnt expect it, but I think its for the best," Laba said through an interpreter. "Im very happy in Vancouver with a great coach and teammates." Although he often takes care of the less-glamorous tasks on the field, the Whitecaps have come to appreciate his tireless work. "Mati gives us a great dimension to build off of at the back," said Vancouver captain Jay DeMerit. "He lets the guys that are creative express themselves a little bit more, just by giving you a little bit more of a lockdown defensively." Added the selfless Laba: "Ive always played that way -- win balls, win tackles -- and quickly disperse (passes) so my teammates have more time on the ball." Pert has been in awe at how quickly Laba has adapted to his new surroundings. "Matis been incredible since hes come in and the fact he came in two weeks before the start of the season and every game he just never lets you down," said Pert. "Hes absolutely a top, top player. I couldnt speak highly enough of Mati. "He makes incredible tackles, he gets his foot on the ball, he plays it simple." Because of their youth, Laba and Koffie could be patrolling Vancouvers midfield for some time, and the pair are expected to start alongside each other once again when the Whitecaps (4-2-5) visit the Portland Timbers (3-3-7) on Sunday. "(Koffies) a great player and I think we work really well together," said Laba. "I can win balls and that opens space up for him to go forward and attack more. We compliment each other quite well." San Francisco 49ers Jerseys . Wheeler scored at 4:58 of overtime, with Scheifele getting an assist, and the Jets beat the slumping Colorado Avalanche 2-1 on Sunday night. Cornellius Carradine Jersey . A strong fastball. A big, bending curveball that can buckle hitters at the knees. Against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, Elias put the entire package together against one of the leagues strongest lineups. http://www.thesf49ersshoponline.com/Youth-Zane-Beadles-49ers-Jersey/ . The incident occurred at 6:28 of the first period in Anaheims 6-3 home win over Dallas on Sunday. Garbutt left the penalty box and skated at Penner before leaving his skates to deliver a check. PHOENIX -- When the Suns sent Luis Scola to the Indiana Pacers over the summer, the highlight of the trade for Phoenix seemingly was getting a first-round draft pick. Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. Green hit six 3-pointers and scored 22 points, while Plumlee added 17 points and grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds Monday night in a 117-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. "When you get players from other teams that may not have gotten the chance they think they deserved, you get the best out of them," Suns forward Channing Frye said. "Thats what theyre doing." Plumlee, who played in just 14 games for the Pacers as a rookie a year ago, had his way inside with an ailing Pao Gasol in the Suns third straight win. Green, who has played for seven NBA teams, has hit 16 3s over the past three games. "These stretches that he gets on, I dont know if theres many guys in the league that can do that," Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. "We didnt anticipate that." Marcus Morris added 19 points on 5-of-6 shooting from 3-point range for Phoenix, which held a 62-39 edge on the boards in their eighth win in nine games. "Right now Phoenix is a better team than us," Lakers coach Mike DAntoni said, "especially in the condition we are in." Nick Young scored 19 points and Jodie Meeks 18 for the undermanned Lakers, who fell to 1-2 since Kobe Bryant was sidelined with a knee injury. Gasol, who sat out Saturdays loss to Golden State with an upper respiratory infection, started but had little energy as Plumlee scored on alley-oop dunks, post moves and putbacks. The second-year player from Duke hit 8 of 14 shots and blocked two shots as the surprising Suns moved to 17-10, their best start since 18-9 in 2009-10. "We dont know any different," Frye said of his young team. "We like winning." Gasol had 10 points and four rebounds in 20 minutes before he left the game for good midway through the third quarrter after bumping heads with Plumlee. Ray-Ray Armstrong Jersey. That opened a gash that left him bleeding from the corner of his right eye. It was that kind of night for the Lakers, who watched the Suns hit 14 3-pointers in their sixth loss in nine games. "Why would I be discouraged?" a testy DAntoni said. "We are fighting with a bunch of good guys that played well before and they will play again. If (the fans) are discouraged, then find another team to root for. We are not going to give up. "Are you kidding me? Discouraged? That is not even fair to these guys. Theyre going to fight." The Lakers only healthy point guard was ex-Sun Kendall Marshall, signed last week and who committed four turnovers in six minutes in his debut Saturday. He didnt play until the game was decided in the fourth quarter. The 6-foot-6 Xavier Henry again started at point guard with Steve Blake (elbow), Jordan Farmar (hamstring) and Steve Nash (back) all sidelined. Despite being outrebounded by Plumlee alone (9-8) and committing 10 fouls in the first quarter, the Lakers only trailed 28-24. Then the Suns got hot from the outside -- again. After hitting just 1 of 7 3-pointers in the first quarter, Phoenix drained seven of their first nine in the second, including four from Green as the Suns built a 62-46 lead. The Suns, who extended their team record of hitting at least seven 3s to 19 games, built a 24-point third-quarter lead behind Plumlees work inside and Greens from the perimeter. "Weve pretty much simplified it for them," Frye said. "Gerald, come of the screen and shoot the ball. Miles, come off a screen and dunk the ball. "Its pretty simple, and I think theyre growing inside those roles." NOTES: DAntoni is "optimistic" Farmar will return Wednesday vs. Miami. Farmar will meet with doctors Tuesday. . While Blake is still weeks from returning and wearing a brace on his right arm, hes been able to work on his opposite hand and said he can now consistently make free throws lefty. . About the only thing Plumee did wrong was air-ball a first-quarter free throw. "I needed to take a bigger breath," Plumlee joked. 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