VANCOUVER -- Despite having their post-season hopes dashed last weekend, the Vancouver Whitecaps 2013 season finale still holds some intrigue. Sundays game against the Colorado Rapids at B.C. Place Stadium has important implications in determining Major League Soccers playoff picture and will also mark the final game in the career of veteran South Korean defender Young-Pyo Lee. Oh, and star forward Camilo Sanvezzo is still in the running for the Golden Boot as the leagues top scorer. "We want to make sure we win. I think our fans are coming out expecting that," said Whitecaps head coach Martin Rennie after Wednesdays training session. "I think other teams in our conference are expecting that because there is some significance to the game." The Rapids ended Vancouvers playoff hopes on Saturday with a 3-2 victory, thanks to two goals from Gabriel Torres. The defeat marked a disappointing end to a season that saw the Whitecaps record more wins and earn more points than the 2012 edition that qualified for the playoffs. "Ultimately we go out there and we play, because thats what we do," said Vancouver captain Jay DeMerit, who is without a contract for next season. "Weve got to make sure we go out there and we give it our best shot, because anything less would be disappointing." The loss in Commerce City, Colo., also signalled that Sunday will be the final time Lee walks out onto a field as a professional. The veteran of three World Cups for South Korea joined the Whitecaps in 2011 after stints in Asia and Europe and was named the clubs player of the year last season. "It will be the most memorable game of my life," said Lee, 36, who is set to join Vancouvers front office. "I feel sad, and then I feel happy. "I never thought I could retire in this situation," he added. "So many players get (told to) retire by someone, but I chose all myself when to retire." DeMerit said Lee will leave a lasting impression. "Youre never too old for work ethic," he said. "His consistent performance for us for his whole time here has been nothing short of impressive. You always know what youre going to get from him." Sanvezzo, who was named the Whitecaps player of the year at a ceremony on Wednesday morning, has 19 MLS goals so far in 2013, just one behind both Mike Magee of the Chicago Fire and the Montreal Impacts Marco Di Vaio. The Brazilian-born Sanvezzo has downplayed his goal scoring this season and instead focused on the team results, but with Vancouver now out of the playoffs, will his teammates be trying to set him up even more than usual? "I hope so," he said with a laugh. "It would mean a lot. (When) youre a striker you always want to be the top scorer." Rennie said that he wants to focus on winning Sundays game, but added that finding Sanvezzo will probably be on the players minds. "Hes probably our most natural finisher. Hes always a goal threat. Hes scored a lot of goals at B.C. Place so it would be great if he could get on the scoresheet more than once," said Rennie. "It would be fantastic if he could end up being the top goal scorer MLS. That would be another massive milestone for the club." Meanwhile, Whitecaps general manager Bob Lenarduzzi said this week that Rennies future will be decided soon. The Scotsman, who has been with the club since 2011, said he has helped the club make significant progress in his two years, including last seasons playoff berth. "When I came here this team was the worst team in MLS, it was in disarray and it was almost irrelevant in Vancouver," said Rennie. "Now its a very relevant team and its poised to be a great team." Notes: Colorado can finish anywhere from first place to fifth place in the Western Conference, depending on Sundays game and the other results across the league. ... Sanvezzo was also named Vancouvers top overall goal scorer in 2013 on Wednesday. Carlyle Mitchell was named as the teams unsung hero, while fellow defender Jordan Harvey took home humanitarian of the year honours.
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. 1 status and was unable to prevent a late season collapse, James Reimer said he wants to put the past behind him and is looking forward to spending the next two years in a Maple Leaf uniform. NEW YORK -- Jaromir Jagr of the New Jersey Devils, Manny Malhotra of the Carolina Hurricanes and Dominic Moore of the New York Rangers are the finalists for the NHLs Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The league awards the trophy annually to "the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey." Jagr, a Hart Trophy winner back in 1999, had another strong season with New Jersey at the age of 42. The Devils named the right-winger as the team MVP in 2013-14 after he led the club in assists (43), points (67), plus-minus (plus-16), game-winning goals (six) and shots (231). Malhotra, 33, was the Vancouver Canucks Masterton nominee in 2011-12 after returning from a serious eye injury. Refusing to believe his NHL career was over last fall, Malhotra signed a professional tryout agreement with the Charlotte Checkers, Carolinas Ammerican Hockey League affiliate, on Oct.dddddddddddd 3 and signed as a free agent with the Hurricanes four weeks later. He appeared in 69 regular-season games, assumed a leadership role as an alternate captain and ranked second among all NHL players in face-off percentage (59.4 per cent). Moore, 33, returned to the NHL this season after taking a leave of absence in the spring of 2012 in order to care for his wife, Katie, after she had been diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer. Katie passed away at the age of 32 in January of 2013. Moore established a charity in her name, and resumed his career as an integral part of a Rangers team that earned 96 points and a second-place finish in the Metropolitan Division. A US$2,500 grant from the Professional Hockey Writers Association awarded annually to the Bill Masterton Scholarship Fund in the name of the Masterton Trophy winner. ' ' '
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