The playoffs are right around the corner for the MLS, but with two full weeks of games remaining, there are still teams jockeying for positioning, and in each conference, teams still trying to slip into the final available playoff spots. Before the final two weeks where the majority of the league participates, this week was an off week for most teams.
There were only three games scheduled for Week 34 of the season, and two of the games have already been played. The New York Red Bulls, who are currently in first place of the Eastern Conference and are headed for a No. 1 seed during the postseason, defeated the Montreal Impact, 2-1, on Wednesday night. The second game of the week was played in the same night, when the Vancouver Whitecaps FC had a 0-0 draw with FC Dallas, which is tied atop the Western Conference and is a battling for a top-two seed for the postseason.
New York has the top spot in the Eastern Conference with 54 points and would have to lose both of their remaining two games to lose the No. 1 seed in the East. FC Dallas is tied at the top of the West with the Los Angeles Galaxy with 51 points, with Vancouver trailing closely behind with 50 points.
The third and final game of the shortened MLS weekend features the Impact playing against the Colorado Rapids. The game is obviously important for the Impact, who currently hold the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Impact have 42 points in the sixth spot and have Orlando City right on their tails at 41 points. New York City FC is most likely not going to be able to slide in, but they are five points back with little time remaining.
MLS tickets on TiqIQ.com, a secondary market ticket aggregator, sport an average price of $43 with a get-in price of $13. Because of the level of importance this game carries for fans of the Impact, it would be a great time to set up an MLS trip away from home. Denver flights on Hipmunk.com can get any fans to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, while having Denver hotels on Hipmunk starting from $89.