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VANCOUVER -- Make it 411 minutes and counting for the Vancouver Whitecaps. Darren Mattocks had two great chances in the first half Saturday, but again failed to connect along with the rest of his teammates as the Whitecaps were shut out for a fourth straight game in a 0-0 draw with D.C. United. The Whitecaps have not scored since Mattocks effort in the 39th minute of a 2-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Aug. 10. Thats more than nine halves of soccer, or nearly seven hours of play. "I wouldnt say its frustrating. We created some very good chances. Unfortunately we didnt put one away. Thats the game sometimes," said Mattocks. "Sometimes it goes in, sometimes it doesnt. Weve just got to keep doing what were doing and its going to go in eventually." But it hasnt in almost a month for a Whitecaps side that earned a point against the best team in Major League Soccers Eastern Conference, but dropped to 1-3-6 in its last ten. The lack of finish has been to blame most nights during that stretch for Vancouver (7-6-13), and this one was no different. "Its tough," said Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson. "But its tough for them as well because we put in a good 90-plus minutes -- a hard-working performance. Im proud of them tonight, because they gave me everything but we didnt come out with the result. Weve just got to keep going. "You do go through periods. You go through winning streaks and losing streaks and tough streaks." Saturday was the fifth 0-0 draw of the season for Vancouver, which has been shut out in five of its last six while tumbling down the Western Conference standings after a bright start to the season. The scoreless tie does temporarily move the Whitecaps level on points with Portland for the fifth and final playoff spot in the West, but the Timbers host the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday. Meanwhile, United (14-8-5) padded its lead atop the East and improved to 3-1-1 over its last five. Following a spirited first half where both teams had chances, Vancouver midfielder Pedro Morales fired a shot from outside the penalty area moments after the break that D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid handled. Whitecaps defender Jordan Harvey then sent a diving header just wide in the 50th minute from in close that almost brought the crowd of 18,116 at B.C. Place Stadium to its feet. The game lost much of its energy from there, with both sides running out of ideas, although Vancouver did show a bit more initiative moving forward. "I thought we played well. I thought we were the only team that was going to win tonight," said Harvey. "Other than in front of the (D.C.) net, I thought it was a solid performance, just couldnt put it in." Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted said the scoring drought is a topic of conversation in the locker-room, but one the entire team has to battle through. "Disappointed. I think we did well. I cant fault the guys out there for the effort," said Ousted, who picked up his eighth clean sheet. "They put in a lot of hard work and I thought we were almost there, but almost doesnt get the biscuit." Looking for an answer to his teams scoring woes, Robinson elected to go with Mattocks and Sebastian Fernandez up front to start the game, and a four-man diamond midfield featuring Morales at the top. That left strikers Erik Hurtado and Kekuta Manneh -- who both started in last weekends 3-0 home loss to Portland but are mired in long scoring slumps -- on the bench. Manneh was subbed on for Fernandez in the second half but failed to make an impact. "Hopefully well get a break or well take one of the number of chances we missed tonight," said Robinson. "I thought we played very well. I think at times we played some very good stuff, at times we looked a little bit open but thats going to happen with the shape we played." After a timid opening, Vancouver started to create chances off the break and had the games first opportunity in the 12th minute when Mattocks skied a shot over Hamids goal from in close after some good build up from Morales and Fernandez. Vancouver defender Kendall Waston, making just his second start since being acquired last month, then completely missed a free header in front of the United goal in the 31st off Morales free kick. D.C. striker Fabian Espindola fired a shot from outside the penalty area that Ousted pushed over the bar with his finger tips in the 37th minute, and Espindola was at it again moments later, but his chip went over the Vancouver goal after Ousted came out to challenge the unmarked United man. Mattocks headed another effort at Hamid in the 42nd, before breaking in down the right in added time and ripping a shot that Hamid did well to keep out. Vancouver doesnt have long to dwell on the result or its continued lack of finish with San Jose coming to town on Wednesday night for another key game. "Its just going to be a battle down the stretch," said Harvey. "Weve got to win more than we lose and get some points. Were playing well, we just need to be a little bit more clinical in front of the net -- and that includes everybody. Everybody on the field I feel like had a chance tonight." Notes: Hamid also picked up his eighth shutout of the season. ... Whitecaps defender Ethen Sampson, 20, made his first appearance for the club, starting at right back in place of Steven Beitashour (hip). Sampson was subbed out in the 54th minute for Sam Adekugbe after suffering cramps. ... Vancouver midfielder Gershon Koffie (foot) missed his fourth straight game. ... D.C. was without midfielder Chris Rolfe, who broke his forearm in training on Wednesday and will miss up to six weeks. Rolfe has six goals on the season. ... United striker Eddie Johnson, who has five goals on the year, sat out with a concussion. ... Kimberly Caldwell, Harveys fiancee and a finalist on season two of American Idol, sang the national anthems. ... D.C. visits the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday. Paul Pierce Jersey .C. -- Clemson celebrated a senior class Saturday that brought the program back as a national contender. Antoine Walker Jersey . Patty Mills scored 15 points, Tim Duncan had 10 points and 11 rebounds in limited minutes, and San Antonio trailed for only 11 seconds late in the first quarter of a 103-90 victory over Portland on Wednesday night. https://www.cheapceltics.com/662n-isaiah...ey-celtics.html. With a victory seemingly slipping away late in the third quarter, his quick scoring flurry helped Golden State regain control early in the fourth. Boston Celtics Pro Shop . And once again, Team Homan emerged as the victor with the reigning national champions defeating Team Sweeting at the Pintys All-Star Curling Skins Game Friday night in the tournaments opening draw at The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre in beautiful Banff National Park. Marcus Smart Jersey . Just ask last seasons Supporters Shield winners, the New York Red Bulls, who were resoundingly defeated last weekend by a rampant Vancouver Whitecaps in a match which produced two contenders for MLS Goal of the Week from Sebastian Fernandez and Pedro Morales. TAMPA, Fla. -- The Dallas Stars are playing like a team desperate to reach the post-season for the first time in six years. The Tampa Bay Lightning, however, have lost back-to-back home games since clinching their second playoff berth in seven seasons. Jamie Benn had two goals and an assist Saturday night at Tampa Bay in a 5-2 victory that lifted Dallas past Phoenix into the second wild-card position in the Western Conference. "We have a lot of games in a few days and we need to get as many points as we can in this stretch," Dallas coach Lindy Ruff said. "This was very important." Tyler Seguin had his team-leading 35th goal and an assist, and Vernon Fiddler and Antoine Roussel also scored for the Stars. Kari Lehtonen stopped 27 shots. Steven Stamkos and Andrej Sustr scored for the Lightning, and Ben Bishop finished with 23 saves. Benn produced all of his points in the first period. He opened the scoring 40 seconds in, redirecting a shot by Alex Goligoski from along the right boards into the left side of the net. "The first shift of the game can mean a lot," Benn said. "You want to set the tempo right away and we got a quick goal." Benn struck again at the 5:37 mark, snapping a shot past Bishop from the right circle. Two minutes later, Lightning defenceman Radko Gudas was dealt a match penalty for an illegal check to Roussels head. Dallas failed to capitalize on the five-minute major, but Benn and his brother Jordie set up Seguin late in the period to make it 3-0. Tampa Bay responded with a pair of goals early in the second period.dddddddddddd Stamkos scored two minutes in, and Sustr lifted a rebound past Lehtonen at 6:44 for his first NHL goal. Fiddler and Roussel beat Bishop with backhanders in the third to secure the victory. "We wanted to keep the pressure on them and came up in the third period strong," Roussel said. "We needed to get the killer goal and take the life out of them." Bishop said the Lightning cannot afford to work hard for only 20 minutes. "Weve got to show up to play, and weve got something to play for," he said. "Its not like we just made the playoffs and now we can relax. We still want to get home ice, and we dont want to be in the wild card." Tampa Bay is four points behind second-place Montreal in the Atlantic Division and five ahead of Eastern Conference wild-card leader Detroit. "Hopefully this is out of our system and we can come down from our high chair after making the playoffs and realize that there are other teams that are coming and can catch us," Stamkos said. NOTES: Sustr was recalled from the AHL on Friday. ... Tampa Bay D Mike Kostka missed his second game with a concussion that resulted in a three-game league suspension for Montreal D Douglas Murray. ... Dallas LW Erik Cole (upper body) returned after being sidelined seven games. Stars LW Ray Whitney (lower body) sat out for the first time since Jan. 2. ... During a pregame ceremony on the plaza, the Lightning unveiled a bronze statue depicting former captain Dave Andreychuk raising the 2004 Stanley Cup. ' ' '