Aztex in the D-2 Playoffs

The Austin Aztex play their first home playoff game ever, this Saturday at 7:30pm, hosting the Montreal Impact at House Park. It's the second leg of a home-and-away first-round matchup; the first leg is being played in Montreal as we go to press Wednesday, and the teams will go to overtime Saturday if they're all even after the two games in regulation time.

The Aztex fell to the second-best record in the league, and a No. 3 seeding, by losing their last two games on the road last weekend, 3-1 at Carolina, and 2-0 at Montreal. Not to worry too much, though; Austin fielded a largely second-string squad for their finale and by losing dodged a tough travel week and a tricky first-round match at eighth-seeded Puerto Rico. The Impact will be a handful – they've won five of their last six – but the Aztex will be back at full strength and relatively rested after staying over in Montreal for the last four days. Most notably, top scorer Eddie Johnson is back with the team after missing the last 2½ games with a concussion. With him, Jamie Watson, and Max Griffin in attack, the league's top-scoring offense will be hard to stop. Again, it's 7:30pm Saturday, Oct. 9, at House Park, 13th & Lamar; tickets ($10-15 advance) at www.austinaztex.com.

I expect the pregame revelry down at the Tavern (12th & Lamar) will start up a little earlier than usual – it should be in full swing by 6pm; parade to the stadium at 7pm.

Looking ahead, the Austin-Montreal winner will face either the second-seeded Carolina Railhawks or the Minnesota Stars, in games on Oct. 13 & 16; the other side of the draw has the Portland Timbers (4) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (5), and Rochester Rhinos (1) vs. Puerto Rico Islanders (8). The championship series will be Oct. 23 & 30.