MLS Keepers May Break Playoff Records This Weekend

Well, “may” is actually a little conservative. At least one record will fall (or at least be tied). The record? Career post-season games played. The new record holder? Mr. Kevin Hartman of the KC Wiz.

Kansas City’s stalwart GK will play in his 45th playoff game this weekend and tie Cobi Jones MLS record. I’m glad Hartman is getting the record, as he narrowly missed breaking the all-time MLS saves record this season (he’s currently six short of Mr. Ponytail himself, Tony Meola).

Congrats to Kevin and his family, and I hope he shuts out the Crew to celebrate, though I would hesitate to bet on it.

The second record that could fall? All-time goals against per playoff game average. Why do I suddenly feel like I may be the only person in the world who even knows this record is about to fall. Well, one more person may know.

Matt Reis. But that would only be because he is the one about to tie (or break) the record. At 0.67 goals per game, Reis is only .01 behind Adin Brown, who was once on my beloved Tampa Bay Mutiny. I wish Reis luck, but I shiver when I think of any ex-Mutineer losing a piece of MLS history.

To break the record, Reis will need another shutout tomorrow night. Of course, then he will have to play in more games, which will likely put the record back at risk. We probably won’t know whether Reis has the record until after NER is eliminated. Or after they break their Buffalo Bills like streak of losses in the MLS Cup Championship.

I wouldn’t bet on that either.