MLS has been known to get creative with their rules and playoff formats over the years, often to mixed reviews from both fans and players. For the second year in a row, Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs will be played out in Best-of-Three series, with each qualifying team getting the chance to host at least one playoff game.

The loss to Montreal was one of the standings machinations that saw NYCFC cede the No. 5 seed in the MLS Cup playoffs to Charlotte FC. Now, NYCFC has a game against a Cincinnati organization it is 1-5-2 against since Noonan became head coach of FCC.

BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Dynamo visit the Seattle Sounders in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Sounders are 11-8-9 in Western Conference games. The Sounders rank 10th in the Western Conference with 156 shots on goal, averaging 4.6 per game.

The MLS playoffs continue on Monday night as FC Cincinnati takes on NYCFC in the first game of their three-game set. The way this round of the MLS playoffs works is that it’s a best-of-three round, wi

NYCFC finished sixth in the Eastern Conference standings — three points ahead of rival New York Red Bulls — but Cushing’s hope is for his squad to use the lessons from this postseason run to finish near the top of the table next year.

FC Cincinnati is starting its post-season run on Monday.The team will face New York City FC in a best-of-three series.The first game will kick-off at home at TQL Stadium at 6:45 p