Two weekend breaks confirmed

• by Soccer America , Oct 30, 2013

[MLS PLAYOFFS: Schedule] MLS has released the full playoff schedule. It will, as planned, take breaks the weekend of Nov. 16-17 and Nov. 30-Dec. 1, meaning the first four dates will be played over 12 dates and the final two dates will take place over the following four weeks. Six of the 15 playoff dates will take place on weekdays compared with 34 for the entire regular season (323 games).

The Nov. 16-17 weekend falls on the final FIFA fixture weekend of the year, and U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann wants all available players for the friendlies against Scotland and Austria that he termed "World Cup tuneups." The Nov. 30-Dec. 1 weekend is the weekend after Thanksgiving. Since moving MLS Cup to the finalist with the most points in the regular season, MLS has slotted in a two-week gap to allow for preparations for the season finale.

MLS PLAYOFFS, Schedule:
Eastern Conference
Play-In Game:
Thursday, October 31
Houston vs. Montreal, 8:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)

Semifinals, First Leg
Saturday, November 2
New England vs. Sporting KC, 8 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Sunday, November 3
Houston/Montreal winner vs. New York, 3:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

Semifinals, Second Leg
Wednesday, November 6
New York vs. Houston/Montreal winner 8:00 p.m. ET (Univision Deportes)
Sporting KC vs. New England 9:00 p.m. ET (Local TV)

Final, First Leg
Saturday, November 9
2:30 p.m. ET (NBC, Univision Deportes)

Final, Second Leg
Saturday, November 23 or Sunday, November 24
TBD

Western Conference
Play-In Game:
Wednesday, October 30
Seattle 2 Colorado 0

Semifinals, First Leg
Saturday, November 2
Seattle vs. Portland, 10 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Sunday, November 3
Los Angeles vs. Real Salt Lake, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)

Semifinals, Second Leg
Thursday, November 7
Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy, 9:00 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Portland vs. Seattle, 11:00 p.m. ET (NBCSN; Univision Deportes)

Final, First Leg
Sunday, November 11
9:00 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Final, Second Leg
Saturday, November 23 or Sunday, November 24
TBD

MLS Cup 2013
Saturday, December 7
4:00 p.m. ET (ESPN, UniMas)