The No. 6 seed New York Red Bulls have qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs for the eighteenth time in club history.
Though the club has never claimed the ultimate postseason prize, their only MLS Cup Final appearance came when they were the lowest seed in the Eastern Conference.
Take a look back at how the Red Bulls have fared in the playoffs over their 22-year history:
Knockout Round (2-0-0)
The New York Red Bulls are making their third appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs Knockout Round against the Chicago Fire and enter with a perfect record.
In 2011, Joel Lindpere and Thierry Henry lifted the Red Bulls to victory on the road against FC Dallas, 2-0.
The most recent Knockout Round matchup came in 2014, when New York completed a comeback win against defending champions Sporting Kansas City thanks to a Bradley Wright-Phillips brace, 2-1.
Conference Quarterfinals (10-19-7)
New York has qualified for the conference quarterfinals in 17 seasons dating back to 1996.
The club’s best success in the quarterfinals came in 2000, 2008, 2014 and 2015.
The 2000 season was the only MetroStars team to advance to the conference semifinals, when they downed the Dallas Burn in two quarterfinal legs, which featured a total of three goals from Clint Mathis and a first-leg overtime winner from Adolfo Valencia.
The Red Bulls’ most recent quarterfinals success came in 2014 and 2015, when they eliminated D.C. United in back-to-back seasons.
Conference Finals (3-4-1)
For the Red Bulls, the conference finals have been met most recently with heartbreak.
In 2014, New York battled New England over the course of two legs, falling at home 2-1, and fighting to a 2-2 draw on the road, one goal shy of winning the series on away goals.
In 2015, the Supporters’ Shield winners pulled within one goal of forcing extra time at Red Bull Arena, but a stoppage time equalizer by Bradley Wright-Phillips was cleared off the line and eliminated the Red Bulls in dramatic fashion.
However, New York’s greatest success in the conference finals came in 2008, when Dave van den Bergh’s lone goal on the road against Real Salt Lake propelled the Red Bulls to its first MLS Cup Final appearance in club history.
MLS Cup Final (0-1-0)
The New York Red Bulls made its first MLS Cup Final appearance in 2008, after entering into the playoffs as the last seed in the Eastern Conference.
Alejandro Moreno opened the scoring for Columbus, but was answered by current New York Red Bulls II head coach, John Wolyniec, with a goal in the 51st minute.
Unfortunately, Chad Marshall answered with the game-winning goal for the Crew in the 53rd minute and the loss was sealed with an 83rd minute Frankie Hejduk goal, 3-1.
John Wolyniec and Juan Pablo Angel were tied for top scorers in the playoffs with two goals apiece.
