Tim Parker (right) celebrates one of Daniel Royer’s goals.  (Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports)

By Michael Lewis

FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

Tim Parker entered B.C. Place with a strange feeling Saturday night.

“Walking into the stadium was a little weird for me,” he said. “It was good to be back.”

A few hours later, Parker and his Red Bulls teammates left the Vancouver, British Columbia stadium with a vital road point after a 2-2 draw with his former teammates, Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

“To get a point in the last few minutes like we did is very important for how our season is going to play out,” Parker told reporters after Daniel Royer’s second goal of the match in the 90th minute lifted New York into the tie. “We’re in the Supporters’ Shield race and getting a point here instead of walking out without anything is big.”

Parker received a nice reception by the Vancouver fans.

“It was definitely really nice to hear,” he said.

The game went back and forth. New York grabbed an early lead before Vancouver rallied with two goals from Costa Rican international  defender Kendall Waston.

“On the road it’s hard to get momentum,” Parker said. “We got a good goal early we were able to take advantage I think of most of the first half. They got a goal on a set piece, that’s kind of how things go sometimes and you’ve got to ride out the momentum train.”

Parker was beaten in the air by Waston, who headed in the hosts’ first goal off a corner kick.

“Kendall’s always been great in the air,” he said. “We had the idea that they’re going to be able to hurt us in set pieces and we weren’t able to take care of that tonight.”

Waston had another take.

“It’s not [about] Tim. I like to play every game, everybody or against anyone for me is nice,” he said. “But with Tim, inside the game, inside the pitch to be honest I didn’t care about him but outside again we are friends. He wasn’t marking me man-to-man so it was a little bit different.”

Still, Parker has been an integral part of the Red Bulls’ backline as the squad has allowed a league-low 25 goals this season, even with the two on the road.

“Tim has clearly made us hard to score on, arguably one of the best defenses in the league,” Red Bulls head coach Chris Armas said. “The partnership with him and Aaron [Long], they understand each other, they work well together. And Tim is just a real guy, and a tremendous soccer player. Especially for the way we play, his ability to run and read situations, and good in the air. And then it comes back to his courage, and he’s always up for it. He had another great game today, so we’re thrilled with Tim. He’s had a tremendous year and he’s helped us in a big way.”

When asked by a reporter about his future, Parker replied, “I’m really happy in New York. If Europe ever came knocking, I think it’s every player’s dream. For me at the moment, I’m just really happy to be in New York.”

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.