Until Saturday.

Having missed training time during the week with a hamstring injury, Joy was not available for RSL's playoff game against Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center. Instead, defender Robbie Russell took his place - but played right back while fellow defender Chris Wingert moved to Joy's usual spot at left back.

Coach Jason Kreis also made a change in the midfield from his team's first-leg home victory, inserting Dema Kovalenko in place of Andy Williams. Kovalenko started the last two games of the regular season instead of Williams, however.

The Goats, by the way, stuck with goalkeeper Zach Thornton rather than switch back to Dan Kennedy, who had been the starter during a hot streak late in the season but missed the opening leg of the series under a red-card suspension.

Where's the net?

The Goats entered the game having failed to score in three straight playoff games, stretching their scoreless streak to 382 minutes - since Juan Francisco Palencia scored during a 2-1 victory over Houston on Oct. 22, 2006.

Friendship aside

Striker Alecko Eskandarian said he's good friends with RSL's Yura Movsisyan, since both are Armenian and they played together in Utah until Eskandarian was traded to the Goats.

But that doesn't mean Esky wanted his buddy to keep his hot scoring streak alive. "I wish him good luck next season," Eskandarian told the Los Angeles Times, "but hopefully [Saturday night] will be the last game of his season."

Looking ahead

RSL won't learn its opponent for the MLS Western Conference final until this afternoon, when two-time defending champion Houston hosts New York. The winner advances.

If RSL meets Houston, it will play on the road next weekend. But if the Red Bulls pull the upset and meet RSL, the conference final will be played at Rio Tinto Stadium.

mcl@sltrib.com