paid tribute to Kumaritashvili with a one-minute moment of silence

After an emotionally charged night at BC Place on Saturday when Vancouver Whitecaps beat Colorado Rapids to secure a place in the MLS Playoffs, Carl Robinsons men now face another must-win encounter as they open the postseason in Dallas on Wednesday night in the Knockout Round. It is the Whitecaps second appearance in the playoffs since joining Major League Soccer in 2011. Their last trip to the postseason lasted just 90 minutes when they were beaten by an LA Galaxy side that went on to win the MLS Cup. This time around, the Whitecaps are in much better shape heading into the playoffs after finishing the season well. The Form: The Whitecaps ended the season as one of the hottest teams in Major League Soccer, unbeaten in five games with four wins and a tie. During that time, they have beaten three teams above them in the Western Conference and have been very good defensively. In fact, the Whitecaps enter the playoffs having had four clean sheets in a row. It is 393 minutes since the Caps last conceded a goal but Kendall Waston and company will be faced with a very difficult challenge against a potent Dallas attack. Carl Robinsons squad has a fantastic team spirit and they will go into the match in a confident mood, having shown they have the ability to get big results away from home when they beat Seattle 1-0 three weeks ago. They finished the season with what Robinson described as five Cup finals so have now become used to dealing with the pressure of having no margin for error. Dallas fell to a surprise 2-0 defeat to Portland on the final day of the regular season. Had they won that game, Oscar Parejas men would have avoided having to play in the Knockout Round. Before that loss, they set a new club record of eight home wins in a row. They won 12 of their 17 home matches during the regular season. The Texas club had some good and bad spells during the year - they were winless in eight matches in late April and throughout May, but also had a 10-match unbeaten run in late spring and early summer during which time they won six of seven matches. The Big Question: Can the Whitecaps win the midfield battle? When the Whitecaps won in Seattle, Matias Laba and Russell Teibert were magnificent in midfield. They helped ensure there was no space for Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins to take advantage of. They were first to every ball, breaking up play and frustrating the Sounders. If Robinson sticks with the 4-2-3-1 formation he has utilized the last few weeks, Laba and Teiberts roles will be key to Vancouvers chances. Kendall Waston and Andy OBrien have struck up an excellent partnership in central defence, but having Laba and Teibert in front of them certainly helps. Further forward, Pedro Morales will need to be influential if the Caps are to dominate the midfield. On Saturday, he was excellent against Colorado, dropping deep to get involved, and getting the Caps going forward with his excellent range of passing. There have been times away from home this season when Morales has struggled. On Wednesday in Dallas, he needs to be at his best. The Opposition: FC Dallas finished fourth in the Western Conference, four points ahead of the Whitecaps to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2011. Their haul of 54 points set a new club record for points in a season. Panama international Blas Perez led the way with 11 goals during the regular season and has been a constant threat to the Whitecaps in previous matches over the last couple of years. He always seems to find a way to grab a goal and has three against Vancouver this season, including two in the win against the Caps in Frisco in September. Dallas have a very good home record and much of that comes down to the attacking pieces they have within their squad. Along with Perez, they also get attacking production from the likes of Fabian Castillo, Mauro Diaz, Andres Escobar and David Texeira. When they are on form, they are very difficult to stop. Dallas finished the season with 55 goals to tie the club record for most goals scored in a season. The Lineup: The Whitecaps will have to make at least one change with right back Steven Beitashour ruled out with a hamstring injury that forced him to leave the win over Colorado during the first half. There are two options for Robinson. He could do what he did on Saturday and bring in teenager Sam Adekugbe at left back, but that also means switching Jordan Harvey across to the right back position. Robinson describes Adekugbe as something special, and theres no doubt he has all the tools needed to become a top class fullback. He showed that in the game on Saturday, having come on in a high pressure situation. He also gives the Caps an added dimension going forward. The other option is to bring in Ethen Sampson who played in Dallas last month, Sampson hasnt seen many minutes this season, but on the two occasions he started for the Caps, he certainly didnt let himself down. He is also the kind of player who will relish the expected physical nature of the game ahead. Losing Beitashour is a blow for Vancouver as he has been extremely reliable all season long, but Robinson has two solid replacements available. The Odds: The three matches between the teams this season have been split. The Whitecaps beat Dallas 2-0 at BC Place earlier this month, and were by far the better side in July despite only tying the game 2-2. Dallas won 2-1 last month in the only previous meeting in Texas this season. Dallas will go into the match as favourites due to their excellent home record and Vancouvers five straight losses in their previous visits to Frisco, but when the Whitecaps were in Dallas last month, they played well and were unfortunate to lose. It could be a long night. Im expecting a hard-fought, close encounter that has the potential to go all the way to extra time and penalties. These two teams dont like each other, so there is a chance of fireworks. Seattle awaits the winner in a two-leg conference semifinal. Where to Watch: The match will be broadcast live on TSN1. Join me with Jason deVos, Kristian Jack and Perry Solkowski for the pre-match show which gets underway from Toyota Stadium at 8:30pm et/5:30pm pt. Boston Red Sox Store . - Chris Davis hit a two-run double, scoring Nelson Cruz in his Orioles debut in Baltimores 9-7 win over to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. Boston Red Sox Shirts . "That was a great lift for the staff," Padres manager Bud Black said. Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal homered, and Chase Headley drove in three runs, as the Padres beat the Chicago Cubs 11-1 on Friday night. https://www.cheapredsox.com/ .C. -- Duke sophomore Rodney Hood is entering the NBA draft. Boston Red Sox Pro Shop . A wide-eyed 18-year-old visiting North America for only the second time in his young life, Caboclo immediately noticed the "big tower" his new home is best known for. Stitched Red Sox Jerseys .com) - Joe Pavelski scored twice to lead the San Jose Sharks in a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers to split a home-and-home set.KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia -- Members of the International Luge Federation will hold a private remembrance of Georgian slider Nodar Kumaritashvili on Feb. 12, the four-year anniversary of his death. The International Olympic Committee paid tribute to Kumaritashvili with a one-minute moment of silence at the start of its general assembly on Wednesday. The IOC also invited Kumaritashvilis pareents to attend.dddddddddddd IOC President Thomas Bach says "none of us will be able to forget the tragic death." Kumaritashvili died in a training crash hours before the start of the opening ceremony for the Vancouver Olympics. There is no formal remembrance planned by athletes competing in the Sochi Games, or at the sliding venue during the Olympic competition. ' ' '