Four games, four goals.

And an assist.

Now, if he can keep the hot streak going when RSL plays at New England in its longest road trip of the season tonight (Saturday), the team might just return home for the first game in its new Rio Tinto Stadium with a chance to lock up the first Major League Soccer playoff berth in franchise history.

"I just feel like my hard work is paying off," Movsisyan said.

Movsisyan did not get his chance to shine until fellow striker Fabian Espindola severely sprained his ankle executing a back flip in celebration of a goal against the Los Angeles Galaxy that was later disallowed.

But coach Jason Kreis said he already had become impressed at the way the third-year player had transformed his game.

"Early on in his career, and early on when he was here, he was a player who was always trying to make the electric play happen," Kreis said, "and because of that, I think he had a tendency to frustrate his teammates and frustrate the coaches, because he gave the ball away too needlessly and too carelessly, and took too many risks."

Not anymore, though.

Kreis said Movsisyan had been "absolutely fantastic" in the preseason, showing a much greater willingness to work on maintaining possession and involving his teammates. And after working his way back from knee surgery in May, he suddenly is just about the hottest player in the league (except for San Jose's Darren Huckerby).

All of his scoring has come on the road, too - his first goal in the stretch came just minutes after he replaced Espindola against the Galaxy on Sept. 6 - which could make a big difference tonight when RSL attempts to win a franchise-record 10th game of the season and make a big statement in the playoff race.

"His speed is really something, and I think he's just playing with a lot of confidence," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. "I definitely think that when we win the ball, our first look is to see if we can get it to him, because he's so fast that if the defense is pressed up, all we have to do is dump it over, and he's going to beat them in a foot-race, most players."

Movsisyan now has equaled the five goals he scored for Kansas City as a rookie before a trade to RSL last season, and ranks in a tie for the team lead despite not having scored his first goal since Aug. 16.

"I feel like right now, I'm taking the spot - my spot," he said. "And until I start doing badly, until I stop scoring goals, I think this is going to be my spot for the future. ... Forwards go through hills, you know, up and down. And right now, I'm on the way up."