something the L.A. Galaxy was unable to do three weeks ago after beating the

The Colorado Rapids missed a golden opportunity to put the Seattle Sounders in a serious hole in their Western Conference finals showdown on Tuesday.No matter. The Rapids are coming home with a trip to the MLS Cup on the line, and they feel good about their situation heading into Sundays second leg against the Sounders.I feel really comfortable with the mindset of that group in that locker room, Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni told The Denver Post after the Rapids 2-1 loss in the first leg of the series in Seattle on Tuesday. They understand that were in a better position than we were against L.A.The Rapids lost the first leg of that series, 1-0, but came back to win in kicks a week later to advance. It continued their season of success at Dicks Sporting Goods Park, where they have allowed just seven goals and were just the fifth team in league history to be undefeated at home.Not lost in all this is the fact that the Sounders won Tuesday night and have the edge. They can negate Colorados advantage by scoring at least one goal, something the L.A. Galaxy was unable to do three weeks ago after beating the Rapids at home.Seattle is confident and ready for the challenge.Since weve taken over, theres only one game that we havent scored a goal. Only one, Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer told The Denver Post. So, that changes things. We understand that soccers a fluid game. It could end up 1-0 for them, it could end up 3-1 for us. It could be a variety of scores. I think if you did the math, 1-0 to them, sure; 2-1 is overtime. Theres a lot of scores -- 0-0, 1-1, 2-2 -- a lot of scores go in our favor as well.Colorado is playing without star goalkeeper Tim Howard, who was injured playing the U.S. national team between the series against the Galaxy and Seattle. Howard suffered fracture of the right adductor longus, located in the upper groin, and had season-ending surgery on Nov. 17.Zac MacMath started the first leg of the series and is expected to be start Sunday, too.The Sounders were in trouble when Colorados Kevin Doyle scored in the 13th minute Tuesday night, but they quickly responded with Jordan Morris goal in the 20th minute.It stayed tied until the second half when Nicolas Lodeiro made it 2-1 on a penalty kick. Colorado defenseman Marc Burch was called for a foul in the box that led to the kick, but he thought Lodeiro embellished the contact.Its not a penalty, Burch told The Denver Post. Thats pretty much it. I went close to Lodeiro and he fell down, thats it. I dont think flopping in the box is something thats called for. But thats what he did.Seattle held on, and now theyll try to do what nobody has in a long time in Colorado -- get a goal.We have to score a goal down there and its not just sitting back and protecting this 2-1 lead for 90 minutes, Morris told soundersfc.com. We have to push and go at them. When the game gets tough, we have to continue to try and keep the ball and do the stuff that were good at. Cheap Bengals Jerseys China . Barcelona also left injured defenders Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba out of its squad for the trip to Glasgow. That means that Marc Bartra will probably start again in the centre of the defence alongside Gerard Pique. Cheap Bengals Jerseys .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. http://www.cheapbengalsjerseyselite.com/ . -- Sergey Tolchinksy scored his second goal of the game 3:56 into overtime as the Sault Ste. Cheap Bengals Jerseys Authentic . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. Wholesale Bengals Jerseys . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. SNOQUALMIE, Wash. -- U.S. Senior Open champion Gene Sauers eagled the par-5 18th hole Friday for a 7-under 65 and a share of the Boeing Classic lead with Kirk Triplett.Coming off his breakthrough victory two weeks ago in Ohio, the 54-year-old Sauers played the four par-5 holes in 5 under with the eagle and three birdies. He won three times on the PGA Tour.Triplett had five- and four-hole birdie streaks at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge. Also 54, he followed a bogey on the 11th -- his second hole of the day -- with five straight birdies and added a birdie on 18. On his second nine, he bogeyed the third, then ran off four in a row.I really just hit a lot of good wedges to real close, like 2 or 3 feet, Triplett said. That probably describes the round more than anything. It was by no means a pure ball-striking round or anything like that, I just really judged some wedges well. So, thats where most of the birdies came.Triplett won the American Family Insurance Championship in June in Wisconsin for his fifth victory on the 50-and-over tour.Duffy Waldorf and Stephen Ames were a stroke back.Waldorf also had five straight birdies, from the 15th to the first. He won the season-opening event in Hawaii for his second senior title after winning four times in the PGA Tour.Ames played the final six holes in 6 under. He birdied 13 and 14, eagled the par-5 15th and birdied 16 and 18. A naturalized Canadian citizen from Trinidad & Tobago, hes winless in 36 starts on the 50-and-over tour after winning four times on the PGA Tour.ddddddddddddDavid Frost, Tom Byrum, 2012 champion Jay Don Blake, Jeff Maggert and Tom Pernice Jr. shot 67. Frost also eagled the 18th and played the four par 5s in 5 under. Byrum birdied his final four holes.The greens are quite receptive, although it takes this big first bounce and then stops, Frost said. I remember last year, the greens were a lot harder than they are this year, so I think thats why the scores are a little lower this year. The golf course is just in great shape. The fairways are beautiful, the greens are really nice. Its just a pleasure to come and play here.Bernhard Langer opened with a 69. The 58-year-old German star won the 2010 tournament and finished second behind Billy Andrade last year. Langer has three victories this year, two of them majors.John Daly had a 71. He has three top-20 finishes in 10 PGA Tour Champions starts since turning 50, with the best a tie for 11th last month in the Dicks Sporting Goods Open in New York. Last week, he tied for 51st in the European Tours Czech Masters.Andrade had a 74.Local favorite Fred Couples is sidelined by back problems. ' ' '