Timbers face bumpy road to Cup

As expected, the path to the 2013 Cascadia Cup will involve four road games for the Portland Timbers.

Major League Soccer on Wednesday announced its regular-season schedule for 2013, and the Timbers will play twice at Seattle and twice in Vancouver, B.C., while hosting the Sounders and the Whitecaps FC one time each.

That is a flip from 2012, when the Timbers played four home games against their rivals, an advantage that helped them claim the Cascadia Cup.

Portland opens its third MLS season on Sunday, March 3, with a 4:30 p.m. home match against the New York Red Bulls. The 34-game regular season ends for Portland on Oct. 26 with a road game against Chivas USA.

In addition to the season opener against New York, marquee matches on the home schedule include visits by two-time MLS Cup defending champion L.A. Galaxy on July 13 and Sept. 29, Seattle’s visit on Oct. 13, and Vancouver’s visit on Aug. 3.

Sun., March 3 New York, 4:30 p.m.-x

Sat., March 9 Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., March 16 at Seattle, time TBD

Sat., March 30 at Colorado, 3 p.m.

Sat., April 6 Houston, 7:30 p.m.

Sun., April 14 San Jose, 7:30 p.m.

Sun., April 21 at San Jose, 8 p.m.

Sat., April 27 at Kansas City, 5:30 p.m.

Thur., May 2 New England, 7:30 p.m.

Wed., May 8 at FC Dallas, 6 p.m.

Sun., May 12 Chivas USA, 3 p.m.

Sat., May 18 at Vancouver, TBD

Sat., May 25 at D.C. United, 4 p.m.

Sat., June 8 at Chicago, 5:30 p.m.

Sat., June 15 FC Dallas, 2 p.m. (ESPN)

Wed., June 19 at LA Galaxy, 7:30 p.m.

Sun., June 23 Colorado, 4 p.m.

Sun., July 7 at Columbus Crew, 2 p.m.

Sat., July 13 LA Galaxy, 8 p.m.

Sat., July 20 at Philadelphia, 4:30 p.m.

Sat., July 27 at San Jose, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 3 Vancouver, 8 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 17 FC Dallas, 8 p.m.

Wed., Aug. 21 Real Salt Lake, 8 p.m.

Sun., Aug. 25 at Seattle, 7 p.m.

Fri., Aug. 30 at Real Salt Lake, 7 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 7 Toronto FC, 8 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 14 at Chivas USA, 7:30 p.m.

Fri., Sept. 20 Colorado, 7 p.m.

Sun., Sept. 29 LA Galaxy, 12:30 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 6 at Vancouver, TBD

Sun., Oct. 13 Seattle, 6 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 19 Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 26 at Chivas USA, 7:30 p.m.

Individual-game tickets go on sale to the public Feb. 18, with tickets for the club’s preseason tournament going on sale Feb. 5. Single-game ticket details will be announced later.

The MLS schedule again has each Western Conference team playing conference opponents three times and playing Eastern teams once. Four of Portland’s first five home games are against teams from the East.

In addition to New York, the Eastern Conference teams visiting Portland are Montreal, Houston, New England and Toronto.

San Jose, which finished with the best regular-season record in 2012, comes to Portland on April 14.See schedule Page B3

W’hawks win again, Carruth sets mark

Mac Carruth set a franchise record for career victories as the Portland Winterhawks (35-5-1-0) defeated the visiting Prince George Cougars 3-0 (12-24-1-4) at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in front of 3,243 fans.

The victory was the 106th career win in net for Carruth, passing Darrell May. May, who was on hand Wednesday and congratulated Carruth on the ice after the game, had held the record since the conclusion of his WHL career in 1982.

Carruth turned away 23 shots in tying the club record with his eighth career shutout. The win was the 12th straight for the Hawks, who lead the WHL with 71 points this season.