VANCOUVER -- Canadian star striker Christine Sinclair will get a chance to make history again Saturday. Sinclair will lead her Portland Thorns squad against American icon Abby Wambachs host Western New York Flash in the first National Womens Soccer League final in Rochester, N.Y. "At the beginning of the year, this was our goal," said Sinclair of reaching the championship game. "With it being the first NWSL final, we want to make history and win it." The contest will be the first meaningful battle between Sinclair and Wambach since the 2012 London Olympics a little over a year ago. Sinclair recorded a hat-trick against the Americans in the Olympic semifinals, but was heartbroken after Wambach scored the tying goal on a controversial penalty-kick before the Americans prevailed 4-3 on Alex Morgans winning goal in extra time. The U.S. went on to win gold while the Canadians earned bronze. It was Canadas first Olympic medal in womens soccer and the first medal earned by Canadians at the Summer Games in a traditional team sport since 1936 in Berlin. "Obviously, weve played each other so many times over the years," said Sinclair. "I think this is the first time weve played each other in a professional league final, so it should be fun." Wambachs Western New York squad rates as the favourite after finishing first in the eight-team NWSL with a 10-4-8 record. Sinclairs Portland club finished in a tie with FC Kansas City as both clubs posted identical 11-6-5 marks. Kansas City took second after recording a better goal differential. But the Thorns earned some revenge in the semifinals as they overcame a 2-0 deficit and beat Kansas City last weekend. "Weve been through some adversity, and we know how to handle it," said Sinclair. The NWSL is a joint venture between the Canadian, U.S., and Mexican soccer federations. Organized and administered by the U.S. federation, the league is designed to develop international-calibre talent and give Canadian, American and Mexican national team players a high level of competition leading up to the 2015 Womens World Cup and next Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. The U.S. federation has subsidized the salaries of 23 players while the Canadian and Mexican governing bodies are each funding 16. The NWSL formed after the Womens Professional Soccer league folded in January 2012, a day after Canada and the U.S. qualified for the 2010 Olympics through a CONCACAF tournament in Vancouver. "I think the league has been a huge success," said Sinclair. "And, I know, for Canada, its nice to have more players in the same professional league." The NWSL, she added, has given young kids a chance to dream of becoming Canadian national team players. In wake of the collapse of WPS and another fledgling womens circuit, she hopes the NWSL will be able to "stick around" and "absolutely" hopes to play in it for the next few years. Sinclair, who starred for the University of Portland during her collegiate career, has also found personal and career satisfaction since returning to play in the Oregon city, "the only place" in the league in which she wanted to work. "Ever since attending university there, I never left," she said. "Its been home for me." Now, after the Thorns led the league in attendance with an average crowd of 13,320 per game, she hopes to reward Thorn followers and staff by bringing home a title. Sinclair, Portlands captain, scored eight goals goals and added two assists in 20 regular-season games, but she was upstaged by Morgan, who led the Thorns with eight goals and five assists in 18 contests before being sidelined with a minor knee injury late in the season. Sinclair is one of two Canadians on the Thorns, along with Karina LeBlanc of Maple Ridge, B.C., who will start in goal Saturday. Sinclair has enjoyed being able to play with another member of Canadas national squad. "She brings this attitude," said Sinclair. "Its an attitude thats really calm, also business all the time. Shes just a blast to be around every day." Notes: Wambachs scheduled face-off with American teammate Morgan has drawn considerable hype. ... LeBlanc has posted seven shutouts this season. ... The game will be aired on both Fox Sports 2 and Fox Soccer and streamed on digital devices via Fox Soccer 2Go. ... Morgan is recovering from a sprained medial collateral ligament, but is expected to contribute, says a Thorns spokesman. Portlands Tobin Heath has a sore foot but is also expected to play. Stitched Athletics Jerseys . LOUIS - The St. Athletics Jerseys 2020 . Vinci also beat Dulgheru last week in Bucharest en route to her first WTA final in a year. Vinci next faces sixth-seeded Kurumi Nara of Japan, who beat Czech qualifier Katerina Siniakova 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-2. No. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes have activated defenceman Joni Pitkanen from injured reserve. Cheap Athletics Jerseys . But Josh Bailey scored the shootout winner to lead the Islanders to a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens in a battle of the Eastern Conferences two worst teams. Custom Oakland Athletics Jerseys . That further limits the options of Australia coach Ewen McKenzie, who on Monday suspended six players who were involved in a night out in Dublin ahead of the Saturdays 32-15 win over the Irish. The Wallabies play Scotland on Saturday before facing Wales on Nov.NEW YORK -- Aaron Hill was ready to wait all night to get this game in. Hill had a two-run homer wiped out by a rain storm that postponed the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets in the fourth inning on Friday night after a delay of 2 hours, 11 minutes. "To get a win ... yeah," Hill said. "We need a few of those." The game will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader on Sunday. The first game will start at 1:10 p.m. Manager Kirk Gibson said the Diamondbacks, who are in last place in the NL West at 18-31, will likely call up a pitcher for the makeup start Sunday. The Mets will go with Daisuke Matsuzaka in the second game of the traditional twinbill. Rafael Montero will make his regularly scheduled start in the opener against Bronson Arroyo. Matsuzaka has been pitching out of the bullpen this season but the converted starter doesnt see going deep into the game as a problem. "I pitched yesterday but just one inning, did not throw too many pitches," Matsuzaka said through a translator. "I do not think 100 pitches should be a problem" The Diamondbacks are flying back to Arizona after the game Sunday. They host the San Diego Padres on Monday night but the doubleheader was the only option for the teams that do not meet again this season. They have no common days off the rest of the way. "Id rather stay," and wait it out, Gibson said, "but I can see it was raining." Last seasons series between the teams at Citi Field was also plagued by rain. "Good old New York," Hill said. Hill gave Arizona the lead in the second inning with a homer off Bartolo Colon that just cleared the fence in left field. Rookie Chase Anderson allowed one hit and a walk in his third big league start for the Diamondbacks. Dark clouds rolled in during the bottom of the third inning and the public address announcer made a request for fans sitting in exposed areas to move to protected areas. After Colon pitched a perfect fourth, thhe grounds crew brought out the tarp and rain began to fall shortly after.dddddddddddd The Mets swept the Diamondbacks in a three-game series in Arizona April 14-16, but the teams are in very different places now. The Mets are 6-14 in May while the D-backs are 9-9 even though they were just dropped three straight at St. Louis. Hill connected on a two-seam fastball from Colon after Miguel Montero led off with a nubber up the third base line for a hit. Mets manager Terry Collins before the game talked about how Colon, who turns 41 Saturday, needs to use his off-speed pitches more to be effective. He started out Hill with a slider then threw him four straight two-seamers. Colon has had an up and down start to his first year in New York. He gave up two runs in eight innings in his previous start, a win over Washington, but yielded seven runs in 5 2-3 innings against the Yankees five days earlier. He entered 3-5 with a 5.34 ERA. Anderson gave up a two-out single to David Wright in the first and walked former Diamondbacks outfielder Chris Young leading off the second. Wilmer Flores grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning and Anderson was perfect in the third. "I felt like I was starting to roll after that third inning," Anderson said. "If we went to the fourth, fifth, I felt pretty good." NOTES: Mets C Travis dArnaud (concussion) took BP on the field. His next step before getting MLB doctors approval is catching a bullpen session. When he is finally cleared to play in games, Collins thinks dArnaud will need 8-10 rehab at-bats. ... Diamondbacks RHP J.J. Putz (forearm strain) has been playing long toss and is nearing a bullpen session, Gibson says there is no timetable yet for his return. ... Gibson was watching on a TV in his office his son Cam play in the Big Ten baseball tournament. Cam had four hits in a win over Illinois. ... Up Next: Arizonas Josh Collmenter (2-2) is scheduled to face New Yorks Zack Wheeler (1-4) Saturday. ' ' '