VANCOUVER -- Jordan Harvey didnt quite know what to make of the Vancouver Whitecaps coming into the 2014 campaign. Scottie Pippen Jersey . After a tumultuous off-season that included the teams head coach getting fired -- as well as its best player forcing his way out of town -- the defender wasnt alone. "I had a lot of questions," Harvey said this week. "It was a young team and everything, but we acquired some really quality players. We had that first game (a 4-1 home victory over the New York Red Bulls) and the expectations were huge, but we also saw how high we could reach and the bar was set. "I think we have the consistency, the depth to maintain that." Nearly a third of the way through the season, those characteristics will be put to the test on Saturday when the Whitecaps (4-2-4) host the top team in Major League Soccer at B.C. Place Stadium as the Seattle Sounders (8-3-1) travel north to face their bitter geographic rivals. Watch the game live on TSN2 and TSN GO at 7pm et/4pm pt. "Arguably theyre the best team in Major League Soccer at the moment. The league table doesnt lie," said Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson. "Its a good test for us to see where we are. Its a test that Im looking forward to as a coach, and I know my players certainly are. "Theyre a very a good team, but let me tell you, so are we." The Whitecaps enter Saturday with 16 points through 10 games, but just one of their four wins have come against Western Conference opponents -- a trend from last season that Vancouver will have to shake if it wants to return to the playoffs after missing out in 2013. "Its vitally important. Winning any game of football is good, but obviously every time you dont win against a Western team youre losing points and theyre gaining points," said Robinson. "Its very important and we need to make sure that we compete with the Western teams and beat the Western teams. Thats a big focus for us this year because we didnt do it enough last year." The Sounders have 25 points from their 12 games, but will be without midfielder Clint Dempsey, who is away with the U.S. national team as it prepares for the World Cup in Brazil. "Its a test for us because Seattle are where they are," said Robinson. "Weve had a very positive start. Weve still got a lot of work to do, a lot of improving to do, and well continue to do that, whatever the result on Saturday. Its just a marker for us to see where we are." The Sounders have won five of six and are coming off a 1-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend, while the Whitecaps will have had 10 days off since bowing out of the Amway Canadian Championship semifinals to Toronto FC on May 14. "I think its going to be a game thats going to be a bit open," Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid told the clubs official website. "Theyre a team that likes to counter attack and get forward, so it might open up at certain times during the game." Theres no doubt the Whitecaps have turned heads around MLS ten games into the schedule after a tricky off-season. Robinson was promoted from an assistants role to replace former head coach Martin Rennie in December after a prolonged search, with the Welshman taking over just in time to watch star striker Camilo Sanvezzo refuse to honour the final year of his contract. Undaunted by that setback, Robinson brought in talented fresh faces, including Matias Laba and Pedro Morales and the roster has gelled quickly. "I think weve surprised a lot of people. I dont think weve surprised the dressing room, though," said Vancouver captain Jay DeMerit. "I think the manager has kept the squad that he wants here because he believes that we can be capable of the things weve been doing the first 10 games. "Its up to us to make sure we go beyond that." The veteran defender has been with the Whitecaps since the club joined MLS in 2011 and knows the importance of beating the top teams in the West -- something Vancouver did twice last season against Seattle. "It has to come from us," said DeMerit. "It has to come from the fact that we believe in it and we believe we can do it and do it consistently." While the Sounders will be without Dempsey on Saturday, the Whitecaps will have to be wary of Seattle striker Obafemi Martins, who has five goals and six assists. "Hes a top player. Hes a world-class footballer," said Robinson. "Hes someone who scores goals and thats why hes paid big money. Weve got to make sure we eliminate the service into him and eliminate him on the ball because hes a fantastic player." Apart from its importance in the standings, the game is also Vancouvers first of the season in the regional Cascadia Cup -- a mini-tournament played between the Whitecaps, Sounders and the Portland Timbers. The team with the most points in the games played amongst the three clubs at the end of the season takes the title, which Vancouver did in 2013. "Its like a playoff atmosphere," said Harvey. "You can feel the support, the energy from the fans and its always one that we want to win for them. The Cascadia Cup -- thats some hardware that we want to keep." DeMerit likens the atmosphere to the local derbies he was a part of during his time playing in England. "You get that full atmosphere, that constant hum of chants, that full intensity that comes with that rivalry and that only rivalry games seem to create," said the 34-year-old. "Both sets of fans are very passionate about their clubs and thats what we want. Thats what were trying to build here in North America and in MLS and theres no better example than the Cascadia rivalry." Notes: The Whitecaps are 3-1-1 at home so far this season, while the Sounders have the same record on the road. ... Seattle and Portland tied the only other Cascadia game played so far this season 4-4. Each team plays six games in the competition. The Whitecaps visit the Timbers on June 1. ... Vancouver announced Thursday that striker Darren Mattocks has obtained a green card in the U.S., freeing up an international roster spot. ... Harvey and DeMerit, who are both American, said they were surprised that Los Angeles Galaxy star Landon Donovan was left off the U.S. World Cup team. Said Harvey: "Thats a crazy decision. Im really shocked by it. Hes a quality player -- best U.S. player in history." Michael Jordan Jersey .J. -- Jaromir Jagr has hit so many NHL milestones this season for the New Jersey Devils that he is starting to downplay them. Kris Dunn Jersey .Johnny there, who knew he had that speed? teammate Tommy Wingels said.Scott and Matt Irwin were unlikely goal-scorers Tuesday night as the previously stingy San Jose Sharks finally sprung a leak or two, blowing a pair of three-goal leads before coming away with a 6-5 shootout victory over the Washington Capitals. http://www.authenticbullsauthority.com/dwyane-wade-bulls-jersey-c-6/ .ca. In Sundays Blackhawks-Penguins game, Pittsburgh defenceman Brooks Orpik laid a huge hit on Chicagos Jonathan Toews. Now in my view, Orpik can be clearly seen leaving his feet while delivering a moderately high hit. BOSTON -- After putting only five shots on goal in the first period, the Boston Bruins took aim against Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo in the second and third. Three of their shots got past Luongo and although only two of them counted for goals, that was more than enough offence for the Bruins to beat the slumping Canucks 3-1 on Tuesday night. "The first period was a little bit of a tough period for us. I thought our puck management or how we move the puck around wasnt great," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "It wasnt really sharp, but it got better in the second and third period and that made a big difference." Boston led 1-0 after the first on Milan Lucics goal despite being outshot 9-5. Jarome Iginla and Daniel Paille added goals in the second period for the Bruins, and Tuukka Rask kept the Canucks from rallying with several saves on short-handed opportunities that could have invigorated Vancouver. The biggest was stopping Daniel Sedin on a breakaway, which led to Iginlas goal that put Boston up 2-0 with 12:01 left in the second period. "Its always good when they get a chance and you make a save and then your team scores right after that," Rask said. "That was a good sign." Rask made 27 saves against the road-weary Canucks, who were coming off 2-0 loss in Detroit the night before and dropped their fifth straight. Sedin and his twin brother, Henrik, extended their goal-scoring droughts to 17 games. "Me and Danny have got to step up and score goals. Thats No. 1. Thats the difference right now," said Henrik Sedin, who returned to the lineup Monday night after missing six games with an upper-body injury. "Weve got to be the difference-makers and were not right now." Raphael Diaz scored the only goal for Vancouver, pulling the Canucks to 2-1 on a slap shot with 8:32 left in the second period. Luongo stopped 29 shots for Vancouver and tried to take responsibility after the Canucks lost for the sixth time in seven games. "I think this ones 100 per cent on me. I wasnt too good out there tonight," he said. Zach LaVine Jersey. . Canucks coach John Tortorella, in his second game back from a 15-day suspension, thanked Luongo for the sentiment, but said Vancouvers struggles go much deeper. "I appreciate Louie saying that, but this is a team thing here that were going through and well go through it together," Tortorella said. The Canucks kept it close until Paille scored on a breakaway late in the second period, then Boston controlled the final 20 minutes for its sixth win in seven games. "Weve been in a pretty good stretch. Weve had a goal leading up until the Olympic break to try and go in the right way," Iginla said. "We have two left, then some of the guys will go and well enjoy watching them." Vancouver had won the last two meetings since the Bruins beat the Canucks in seven games in the 2011 Stanley Cup finals. Boston appeared to take a 3-1 lead just 2:21 after Diaz scored, but Brad Marchands goal was waved off after officials ruled Bostons Torey Krug interfered with Luongo. The goalie immediately protested and gave Krug a shove, which led to a crowd in front of the net but nothing further. Luongo had no argument after the next goal. Paille took a long pass from Johnny Boychuk at the blue line for a breakaway and beat Luongo on a backhand with 2:54 left in the period. Rask stopped a pair of short-handed chances during Bostons first power play, then Daniel Sedins breakaway in the second that led to the Bruins second goal. Zdeno Chara slipped a crossing pass to Iginla for a one-timer past Luongo on the glove side with 12:01 left in the second. Lucic, who gave Boston a 1-0 lead 5:12 into the game, also got an assist on the play. NOTES: Iginlas assist on Lucics goal was the 600th of his career. ... Diaz made his Vancouver debut after he was obtained from Montreal for forward Dale Weise on Monday. ... The Bruins improved to 27-3-0 when leading by two or more goals this season. ... Chara played his final game for the Bruins before leaving for Russia to carry Slovakias flag during the opening ceremony at the Winter Olympics on Friday. 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