probably going to be a pretty good race for me. I was starting on

VANCOUVER -- Darren Mattocks hard-luck season has taken a turn for the better. Having recovered from knee surgery, the speedy striker is slated to return to the Vancouver Whitecaps lineup Saturday as they visit the Colorado Rapids. "Talking to the trainers and the coaching staff on what Ive maintained, I think Im ready to go," said Mattocks after practice Tuesday at the University of British Columbia. Mattocks resumed training with the club this week after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery last month. The knee bothered him after a game against the Chicago Fire, in which he was a late substitute, and it swelled up while he was en route to a game with the Whitecaps reserves squad in Salt Lake City. The club decided that surgery was the best option, and he underwent the procedure less than a week later. Now, the knee is feeling "pretty good." "Im at a really good level since coming back (to full training) a couple days," said Mattocks. "So thats really good. I feel even sharper than before (the injury.) So thats really good. But I think Ive got a lot of work to do on getting back to match fitness." Mattocks, a 22-year-old Jamaican international who starred at the University of Akron, led the Whitecaps with seven goals as a rookie in 2012. But the proverbial sophomore jinx that often occurs in hockey has also struck him in his second Major League Soccer season. Due to his injury, inconsistent play and international duty, and the strong partnership of Camilo and Kenny Miller, he has started just six of the 13 games in which he has appeared. But crediting the team with providing world-class care and happy to be toiling in North Americas top league, Mattocks said he has not been frustrated by his ordeal. He took the same approach prior to the start of last season when arm burns, suffered in a cooking accident, delayed his pro debut. "I grew up back in Jamaica, and Ive been dealing with adversity for much of my life, growing up back then in my personal life," said Mattocks. The Portmore native declined to discuss his struggles, and he is also not looking back on his ill-fated quest for 20 goals. He set the target in his sights at the outset of the season, without guaranteeing it would happen. He just wants to work his way back into the starting 11, contribute some goals and help the Whitecaps (10-7-6) secure a playoff berth in the ultra-tight Western Conference. Coming off an impressive win over the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend, the Caps aim to continue on a strong run that has helped them leap over the playoff bar into a tie for second place with Colorado. Caps coach Martin Rennie is looking forward to seeing Mattocks back in game action after he impressed in the weekss first two workouts. "He looked fantastic today," said Rennie. "Thats probably the best training session hes ever had." Meanwhile, captain Jay DeMerit continued to make progress from a torn Achilles tendon that has kept him out since early in the first game of the season. DeMerit is well ahead of schedule on his return from an injury that requires six to eight months of recovery. He is close to returning after about three months off, but still a ways away from being game-ready.. "Ive had another good week of training," said DeMerit. "The sharpness is coming on slowly but surely. Its actually been kind of funny, and kind of frustrating in my own eyes. You kind of get there pretty quick, but now the last fiver per cent of it takes the longest." The 33-year-old Green Bay, Wis., native still hopes to return to the pitch before he weds retired Canadian Olympic ski cross gold medallist Ashleigh McIvor in her hometown of Whistler, B.C., later this month. "Were monitoring (the recovery) very closely every day, and every day Im getting stronger," he said. "But I can definitely say that I have some sharpness to work on." Notes: DeMerit, central defender Andy OBrien, Rennie and other Whitecaps left after practice to take part in the second annual Hope and Health soccer clinics for youngsters from Vancouver Island Coastal Salish First Nations in Ladysmith, B.C. McIvor also went on the trip to take part in opening ceremonies. a Whitecaps striker Kenny Miller will suit up for Scotland in a highly-anticipated friendly against England at Wembley Stadium in London on Wednesday. The two United Kingdom rivals have gone 14 years without facing each other.Carl Banks Youth Jersey . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). Daniel Jones Giants Jersey . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. http://www.authenticnygiantspro.com/Eli-manning-giants-jersey/ . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Mark Bavaro Giants Jersey . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. Michael Strahan Youth Jersey . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists.LONG POND, Pa. -- They sat next to each other taking question after question after IndyCar practice, shrugging off the thought that tension might have crept into their everyday lives.For Simon Pagenaud and Will Power of Team Penske -- 1-2 in the driver standings with four races left in the season -- Saturday was just another day at the office at Pocono Raceway.Ive been in that situation before. Nothings changed. We dont talk, Power said, joking. Its good. Its expected, honestly. Every year you come into the season expecting to battle with your teammate. I battled Juan (Pablo Montoya) last year. I think the older you get the less you kind of worry about personalities and all that. It doesnt matter. When you get on the track, the best car is going to win. Its as simple as that.Pagenaud began the season with five straight top-two finishes that included three wins and outraced Power at the end of the last race, at Mid-Ohio three weeks ago, for his series-leading fourth victory.Power has made a steady march back after qualifying first for the season-opener at St. Petersburg and then being forced to sit the race because of concussion concerns. In the past five races, hes duplicated Pagenauds start, winning three times and finishing in the runner-up spot twice, to trim Pagenauds lead to 58 points as the teams prepare for Sundays 500-mile race at the tricky triangle-shaped track.Were going to have to be teammates for a long time, hopefully, Pagenaud said. We come to the track every week. If we dont get along, its going to be a nightmare. We both want to be fighting for the championship. We all want to fight against each other for the championship. That means our cars are the best. I think its the perfect situation. Theres really no point hating each other.Pagenaud barely avoided wrecks in Saturdays morning practice that collected Ryan Hunter-Reay and Penske teammate Montoya. The Frenchman later qualified 14th, his worst qualifying performance of what has been a banner season. Power will start eighth, while teammate Helio Castroneves, third in the standings and within striking distance of the top spot if his teammates have problems, will start fourth.That coulld be very good for us tomorrow, Castroneves said.dddddddddddd The championship is still alive.The series resumes next week in Texas, which will be completed after being called because of rain in mid-June. Thats bad news for Joef Newgarden, fourth in points. He was leading the race when he crashed and wont be allowed to finish it.Im going to be there to support the team. Ive already finished where I finished there, said Newgarden, who trails Pagenaud by 120 points. I would have been crashed out of the race. If the rain didnt come, we finish the race, this would have been a done thing. Its only odd because its never happened before. This is unprecedented.If all goes according to plan, even with Texas, yeah, I think theres a possibility (to win the title), Newgarden said. You never know.For Power, as the season dwindles his mind still wanders back to St. Petersburg.You cant dwell on it, he said. It happened, and it was probably going to be a pretty good race for me. I was starting on pole. It was a huge chunk of points lost.If I win the championship it would not even be a factor. Ten points, though, would haunt me.Haunting, too, is the memory of Justin Wilson, who died a year ago after being hit in the helmet by debris from a late-race crash at Pocono. Pocono Raceway has painted the letters JW on the track at the finish line, Union Jacks are flying at half-staff in honor of the Englishman, and countless fans and crew members wore special socks created in his honor.Its hard to keep your mind off things when everybodys talking about it so much, Graham Rahal said. You just really want to come here and just focus on the job at hand, not what happened last year.Clearly, for a lot of us that were close to him, its tough because every time you drive down pit lane, youre reminded. Every time you look at somebodys socks youre reminded, which is a great thing in its own right. But as a driver, you need to be able to get in and do your job.---AP Auto Racing Website: www.racing.ap.org---Follow Kekis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Greek1947 ' ' '