Now, things get rough.

Although RSL still doesn't play for another two weeks, it knows that once it returns to the field, it will have a challenging path to the first playoff appearance in franchise history - no matter where it's sitting in the standings. Six of its next eight games are on the road, meaning that the team probably is going to have to shed its historical reputation as an awful road team to avoid being overtaken during the stretch run.

"It's going to be the toughest stretch, coming up," midfielder Dema Kovalenko said. "We have to get some points."

Only the top three teams from each conference qualify automatically for the playoffs, with the two teams owning the next-best records - regardless of conference - joining them. And with only two points separating the next five teams chasing RSL in the West, the slimmest of margins, perhaps even goal differential, could determine who makes the postseason.

"We need to win those games," goalkeeper Nick Rimando said. "We need to get results, and I think we can do it."

While RSL has dramatically improved at home this season - it remains unbeaten in Rice-Eccles Stadium - it continues to have trouble on the road, having won only once and earned but four points in eight games. Its four goals away from home put it on pace for the lowest-scoring road season in its beleaguered history.

But RSL has shown improved form lately, earning a win and a draw in its last three road games, with the loss coming only on a flukish own-goal header in the 89th-minute at Kansas City.

"It will be tough for sure," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. "But if we want to make the playoffs or stay in first or any of those things, we have to get better on the road - and we know that. So far, we feel like we're getting better."

Coach Jason Kreis said he's "very confident" his team can accomplish its goals.

But knowing how hard it has been for his team to earn points on the road, he also said RSL needs to score "maximum points" in the four home games it has remaining. That would add 12 more points to its current 27, giving it 39 total in its pursuit of a third-place finish or better.

In the six seasons since MLS divided into two conferences, though, only one team has finished in third place or higher with fewer than 40 points.

That was Chicago in 2002, when teams played only 28 games instead of the 30 they will play this season. All 18 of the teams that finished in the top three over the past three seasons had at least 43 points - suggesting that RSL will need to earn at least a few draws during its remaining road schedule.

"We definitely know we can make the playoffs," striker Robbie Findley said. "But that's not on our mind right now. We take it a game at a time, a day at a time. So if we keep doing what we're supposed to do on the field and in practice, it should take care of itself."

mcl@sltrib.com