The Vancouver Whitecaps will aim to get back in the win column on Saturday afternoon as they take on a struggling Toronto FC side still searching for its first victory of the season. Vancouver (4-1-0, 12 points) finally saw its perfect start come to an end in a 3-1 defeat to the Chicago Fire last weekend. The loss was far from shocking, though, as the Whitecaps were missing key players due to international duty and injuries. Despite being short-handed, they held Chicago level until the 61st minute, thanks to a goal from Daniel Rios, before the Fire pulled away. Head coach Jesper Sorensen wasn’t exactly comforted by the end of their early-season streak. Fortunately for Sorensen, he’ll have Brian White,

The New York Islanders have little room for error in their pursuit of a playoff berth, but they’ll need to right the ship quickly as they run into one of the league’s hottest teams — the Tampa Bay Lightning — in a critical Saturday afternoon clash in Sunrise, Fla. The Islanders (32-29-10, 74 points) are riding a three-game home losing skid and have gone just 1-1-2 over their past four games. As a result, they’ve slipped one point behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. What stings most is that New York nearly had a regulation win against Columbus earlier this week, only to see Kyle Palmieri’s would-be game-winner waved off due to goaltender

The Golden State Warriors have dropped two straight games, but help could be on the way — and just in time. Superstar Stephen Curry is expected to return Friday night when the Warriors face the New Orleans Pelicans, a team they’ve already beaten three times this season. Curry, who missed the last two games with a pelvic contusion, was officially listed as questionable, but head coach Steve Kerr strongly hinted at his return. The Warriors (41-31) are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, and Friday’s matchup carries major weight with just 10 games left. Golden State currently holds a share of sixth place and is desperate to avoid the play-in tournament. Golden State stumbled without Curry, losing

INDIANAPOLIS — Blueblood prestige and modern dominance converge Friday night when No. 3 seed Kentucky meets No. 2 seed Tennessee in a highly anticipated Midwest Region semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium — the first-ever NCAA Tournament showdown between these longtime Southeastern Conference rivals. Tennessee (29-7) and Kentucky (24-11) will battle for a coveted Elite Eight spot with a potential Final Four bid just one win beyond. Despite a history steeped in SEC matchups, this marks the first time the storied programs have met in March Madness. Kentucky swept the regular-season series, including a statement win at Rupp Arena in February that saw the Wildcats hold the Volunteers to 16.7 percent shooting from three-point range. But Wildcats head coach Mark Pope,