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Until last week, a Montreal Impact-Chivas USA matchup might have been a meaningless game between Major League Soccer doormats. But both clubs have sprung to life of late, with Montreal (3-7-5) coming off a draw and a win and Chivas (4-7-5) posting consecutive 1-0 victories over Salt Lake and San Jose. Both will be looking to keep their runs alive when they meet Saturday night at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. "Its never easy on the road," Impact coach Frank Klopas said this week. "Theres so much parity in the league, you cant underestimate anyone. Itll be a difficult game. "If you relax when you get a couple of good results, then you have problems. Were a good team when we work hard and were focused. We cant forget that." Anyone underestimating the Goats lately has been badly mistaken. Red-hot Erick Torres scored the goals in victories last Saturday against Salt Lake and on Wednesday at San Jose, giving Chivas consecutive wins for the first time this season and pulling them out of last place in the West, ahead of San Jose. The 21-year-old Mexican has 11 goals, one fewer than MLS leader Bradley Wright-Phillips of the New York Red Bulls. The Impact and Chivas have each scored 16 goals and allowed 26 this season, although Montreal has played one fewer game. Montreal returned from the two-week World Cup break last week with a 0-0 draw in Vancouver with an injury-depleted roster. Then, with midfielders Felipe and Justin Mapp and forward Marco Di Vaio back in the lineup, followed with a 3-0 victory at home on Saturday against the struggling Houston Dynamo. Striker Jack McInerney scored twice against Houston to give him seven for the season and earn MLS player of the week honours. "Its good for my confidence," said McInerney, who has nine goals in all competitions since he was acquired in April from Philadelphia for forward Andrew Wenger. "It comes from the team doing well." The Impact hope to take that new-found confidence with them. "Two good results and we have the opportunity to go out west again and face a team that has struggled this year also," added McInerney. "Its a big game. We need the three points. Weve got to be consistent and keep getting results." The mood has brightened noticeably in the Impact camp after a gloomy start to the season under Klopas, who replaced Marco Schallibaum in the off-season. A whirl of player moves has seen Wenger, Collen Warner, Jeb Brovsky and Hernan Bernardello leave and McInerney, midfielders Gorka Larrea and Issey Nakajima-Farran (currently injured), and defender Mamadou (Futty) Danso come in. They also have Spanish defender Adrian Lopez back from knee surgery. And this week, they announced that Argentine attacking midfielder Ignacio Piatti will join the team in August as a designated player. Klopas has the option of using Lopez or Danso this week, although he may be loathe to break up the central defence partnership of Matteo Ferrari and Heath Pearce that has been solid the last two games. The moves have given the Impact extra depth, which they will need when CONCACAF Champions League play begins in August. "Were disappointed with the start of our season, but we feel we can turn it around," said sporting director Nick De Santis. "Whether it be winning the Canadian championship, which was one of our objectives, or beating Houston, there are glimpses of positive things. "We feel with the addition of a couple of players, with players coming back from injury and with Piatti coming in, that the teams going to keep growing. I truly believe that. We have to understand that a new coach is in place and his identity and philosophy of play takes time as well." Klopas doesnt hesitate to use the teams young, local products, particularly Maxim Tissot who started the last two games on the left side of midfield. The team added another homegrown player from its academy this week in midfielder Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare. The Impact are starting a stretch that sees them on the road for three of the next four games. They are back home next week against Kansas City, which will mark the midpoint of their 34-game league schedule, then travel to Columbus and Salt Lake. The schedule for CONCACAF play released Friday has the Impact at home Aug. 5 against Club Deportivo FAS of El Salvador and at San Salvador on Aug. 20. They complete Group C play at home Sept. 17 against the Red Bulls and Oct. 22 in New York. 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The judge sternly instructed the prosecutor to restrain himself and he apologized -- then went right back to trying to pick holes in the testimony of the double-amputee runner. It was a harsh day of cross-examination for Pistorius, challenged relentlessly about his account of the moments just before he killed Reeva Steenkamp, as well as circumstances related to several firearms charges against him, including the firing of a gun in a crowded restaurant.PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. - Reid Gardiner had two goals and two assists as the Prince Albert Raiders snapped a seven-game winless streak by defeating the visiting Saskatoon Blades 5-2 on Friday in Western Hockey League action. Shane Danyluk had a goal and an assist for the Raiders (18-16-2), who earned their first win in the month of December, while Darcy Zaharichuk and Jayden Hart scored the others. Ayrton Nikkel and Chase Clayton supplied the scoring for the Blades (10-26-3), who have now dropped 12 games in a row. Prince Alberts Cole Cheveldave made 27 saves as Saskatoons Troy Tremblay turned aside 36-of-40 shots in a losing cause. --- WARRIORS 3 BRONCOS 2 (SO) SWIFT CURRENT, Sask.— Brayden Point had a goal and an assist in regulation and scored in the shootout as Moose Jaw held on to edge the Broncos. Jack Roderwald also scored in regulation for the Warriors (11-21-6), who led 2-0 after 40 minutes of action, while Sam Fioretti scored the shootout winner. Brycen Martin and Jay Merkley scored for Swift Current (20-13-6) and Graham Black assisted on both. Justin Paulic made 26 saves for Moose Jaw. Eetu Laurikainen stopped 33 shots for the Broncos. --- WHEAT KINGS 8 PATS 0 BRANDON, Man., — Jordan Papirny stopped 30 shots and three Wheat King players had a three-point outing as they crushed Regina. Rihards Bukharts had two goals and an assist for Brandon (19-14-3), Richard Nejezchleb scored once and set up two more and Eric Roy tacked on three assists. Ryan Pulock, Peter Quenneville, John Quenneville, Tim McGauley and Ryley Lindgren also scored for the Wheat Kings. Dawson MacAuley gave up seven goals on 34 shots for the Pats (18-15-4) before giving way to Nick Schneider, who stopped 4-of-5 shots in 14 minutes of relief. --- CHIEFS 6 ICE 4 CRANBROOK, B.C. — Riley Whittingham and Jackson Playfair each scored twice as Spokane toppled Kootenay for its fourth straight victory. Blair Oneschuk and Mike Aviani also scored for the Chiefs (22-12-2) while Eric Williams made 20 saves for the win. Jaedon Descheneau had a pair of goals for the Ice (18-17-3), Tim Bozon had a goal and two assists and Zach McPhee scored once. Kootenays Mackenzie Skapski gave up five goals on 31 shots through 40 minutes of action. Wyatt Hoflin took over to start the third period and kicked out 6-of-7 shots in relief. --- HURRICANES 5 TIGERS 4 LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — Teagan Sacher made 46 saves and Josh Derko scored the winner at 7:18 of the third period as the Hurricanes slipped past Medicine Hat. Kolten Olynek, Kris Khenkel, Tyler Bell and Nick Walters also scored for Lethbridge (7-27-5) and Macoy Erkamps had three assists. Miles Koules had a goal and an assist for the Tigers (21-12-3) while Tyler Lewington, Kyle Becker aand Cole Sanford registered a goal apiece.dddddddddddd Daniel Wapple started in net for Medicine Hat but was pulled after allowing three goals on 13 shots in the opening period. Zac Robidoux made 10 saves in relief, but took the loss. --- REBELS 3 HITMEN 2 RED DEER, Alta. — Rhyse Dienos goal at 16:25 of the third was the difference as the Rebels earned their fourth straight victory by defeating Calgary. Conner Bleackley and Cole Chorney also scored for Red Deer (18-16-2) and Vukie Mpofu had two assists. Greg Chase and Elliott Peterson each had a goal and an assist for the Hitmen (22-8-5), who fell in regulation for the first time in 11 outings. Patrik Bartosak made 31 saves for the Rebels as Chris Driedger turned aside 37-of-40 shots for Calgary. --- ROCKETS 7 BLAZERS 1 KELOWNA, B.C. — Ryan Olsen scored twice as the Rockets extended their win streak to 13 games by crushing Kamloops. Zach Franko and Rourke Chartier each had a goal and an assist for Kelowna (29-3-2), which led 4-0 after 20 minutes and 7-0 through two periods, while Carter Rigby Cole Linaker and Myles Bell scored the others. Tyson Ness scored in the third period for the Blazers (9-24-4), who dropped their third straight contests. Jordon Cooke made 20 saves for the Rockets as Taran Kozun stopped 32-of-39 shots for Kamloops. --- WINTERHAWKS 3 AMERICANS 2 (OT) KENNEWICK, Wash. — Anton Cederholm scored 56 seconds into overtime as Portland handed Tri-City its fourth straight loss. Garrett Haar had a goal and an assist for the Winterhawks (23-8-4) while Oliver Bjorkstrand had the other. The Americans (17-16-3) got goals from Lucas Nickles and Connor Rankin. Brendan Burke made 19 saves for Portland as Tri-Citys Eric Comrie turned aside 27-of-30 shots in a losing cause. --- ROYALS 8 COUGARS 1 VICTORIA — Axel Blomqvist scored three times and Steven Hodges had a goal and four assists as the Royals downed Prince George. Brandon Magee scored once and set up three more for Victoria (24-13-2), Jack Walker and Jack Palmer each had a goal and two assists and Austin Carroll added a single goal. Jordan Tkatch scored the lone goal for the Cougars (14-19-5) while winger Kolby Johnson was a team-worst minus-5. Coleman Vollrath made 36 saves for the Royals. Ty Edmonds turned away 28-of-36 shots for Prince George. --- THUNDERBIRDS 3 SILVERTIPS 2 EVERETT, Wash. — Justin Myles stopped 36 shots as Seattle defeated the Silvertips. Sam McKechnie, Justin Hickman and Shea Theodore scored for the Thunderbirds (22-10-4), who went 0 for 5 on the power play. Jujhar Khaira and Carson Stadnyk had a goal each for Everett (22-11-4), which went 1 for 6 with the man advantage. Austin Lotz made 18 saves for the Silvertips. --- ' ' '