This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Sandy • It's within those small windows, Jeff Cassar explained, that teams must seize the sudden opportunities laid in front of them. As the MLS Cup playoffs draw closer, the league has reached stoppage time of the 2016 regular season.

And every single match will be tighter than the one prior. Said game-changing opportunities become more rare.

"It's going to be the small margins that push you over the top," RSL's head coach said. "We were searching for them. We didn't get them."

RSL has been left searching the entire month of September. For points, for goals, for a semblance of consistency as control of fourth place in the Western Conference remains, but under rockier circumstances after seeing its winless streak reach four straight games following Saturday's 0-0 home draw against FC Dallas.

"We need to keep getting points," midfielder Jordan Allen said. "We wanted three and we needed three, but it was better than nothing."

Securing three points necessitates goals, which RSL hasn't scored in nearly a month. Three-consecutive shutouts equals a scoreless streak of 270 minutes and counting — the longest offensive drought of 2016. Injuries have played their role in the lack of chances created and capitalized upon.

Within the last two weeks, Javier Morales, Yura Movsisyan and Joao Plata have picked up respective injuries. That's a combined 22 goals and 18 assists not at full strength during the push to secure a first-round postseason knockout match at home. Cassar said sharpness has been lacking the last two weeks in the loss to Houston on Sept. 17 and again in the 0-0 draw against FC Dallas.

"It just seems like we haven't created as many chances as we were before," Cassar said. "I think we need everyone at 100 percent to be playing exactly how we want to."

The last time RSL operated at 100 percent in the attack? In the 94th minute against the L.A. Galaxy on Sept. 7, when Burrito Martinez let loose a hopeful shot outside the box that, with the aid of a goalkeeper gaffe, wiggled into the back of the net to secure a 3-3 draw. Since, RSL has gone 0-2-1 in losses to Portland on the road, a stunner at home to Houston and the scoreless draw against Dallas.

What needs to improve as RSL tries to increase the distance between itself and those gunning for the No. 4 seed?

"The final ball, the final shot," goalkeeper Nick Rimando said. "We created chances. Again, they just didn't go in."

Following Sporting Kansas City's 2-1 win at San Jose, it pulled to within two points of RSL and fourth place. Portland remained winless on the road this year with its 3-1 loss at Houston, staying four points behind RSL in sixth place. RSL heads to the Bay Area this weekend for its lone road trip of the year against the struggling Earthquakes.

San Jose has won just two of its last 18 matches. Cassar said Morales, Movsisyan and Plata are all on track to train in a full capacity ahead of a match RSL desperately needs points — and goals — from.

"Some results went our way today, but that's not how we want to get into the playoffs," Cassar said. "We want to make sure we are going in on our note."

Twitter: @chriskamrani —

MLS standings

EAST W L T Pts GF GA

New York 13 9 9 48 53 40

Toronto FC 13 8 9 48 45 33

New York City FC 13 9 9 48 55 53

Philadelphia 11 11 9 42 50 48

Montreal 9 10 11 38 43 47

D.C. United 8 9 13 37 43 41

New England 9 13 9 36 37 51

Orlando City 7 10 13 34 49 57

Columbus 7 11 11 32 42 46

Chicago 6 14 9 27 36 48

WEST W L T Pts GF GA

FC Dallas 15 8 8 53 47 39

Colorado 12 5 12 48 32 27

Los Angeles 11 5 15 48 53 38

Real Salt Lake 12 10 9 45 42 42

Sporting Kansas City 12 12 7 43 39 38

Portland 11 12 8 41 46 48

Seattle 11 13 5 38 38 39

Vancouver 9 14 8 35 40 49

San Jose 7 9 13 34 28 32

Houston 7 11 11 32 36 38

Friday's game

New York City FC 4, Chicago 1

Saturday's games

Philadelphia 1, Toronto FC 1, tie

Colorado 3, Vancouver 3, tie

D.C. United 4, Orlando City 1

New York 1, Montreal 0

Houston 3, Portland 1

FC Dallas 0, Real Salt Lake 0

Sporting Kansas City 2, San Jose 1

Sunday's games

Seattle 4, Los Angeles 2

Columbus 2, New England 0

Wednesday's games

Columbus at D.C. United, 5:30 p.m.

Orlando City at Toronto FC, 5:30 p.m.

San Jose at Montreal, 5:30 p.m.

Chicago at Seattle, 8:30 p.m.

Friday's game

New York City FC at Houston, 6 p.m.

Saturday's games

Philadelphia at New York, 5 p.m.

Chicago at Columbus, 5:30 p.m.

D.C. United at Toronto FC, 5:30 p.m.

Sporting Kansas City at New England, 5:30 p.m.

Los Angeles at FC Dallas, 7 p.m.

Portland at Colorado, 7 p.m.

Real Salt Lake at San Jose, 8:30 p.m.