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5 things we learned in the MLS playoff conference semifinals

Vincent Carchietta / Reuters

The 2016 MLS playoffs have moved on to the conference championship round, with four teams remaining in contention for the MLS Cup. Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact have a high-stakes 401 Derby set in the east, while the Seattle Sounders take on the Colorado Rapids in the west.

Here's what we learned in the conference semifinals:

The real MVPs stood tall

On Sunday, almost all of the league's star players were on display, including Bradley Wright-Phillips, Sacha Kljestan, and David Villa, the three finalists for the 2016 MLS MVP award.

In fitting fashion, snubbed stars Ignacio Piatti and Sebastian Giovinco almost single-handedly eliminated the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC respectively, out-shining the three MVP candidates who floundered on the night; Kljestan missed a penalty, Wright-Phillips scored a consolation, and Villa mustered just one paltry shot on goal.

True, the MVP prize is given for regular season merit, which is why Giovinco - the league leader in combined goals and assists in the regular season - isn't taking his snubbing too seriously:

"My job is scoring goals and providing assists," Giovinco said with a wink, according to MLSsoccer. "That's what I want to keep doing for the team. Everything will be put into winning the MLS Cup, which is way more important."

Red Bulls' playoff curse rings on

Speaking of the Red Bulls, Jesse Marsch's side once again failed to make the MLS Cup final, crashing out in the conference rounds for a seventh straight season, the last six of which have seen the team eliminated by a home loss.

The Red Bulls' poor playoff reputation now precedes them:

"We knocked out an important team, but we knew they’re a weak team in the playoffs," Piatti told reporters after the match at Red Bull Arena. "They showed that last year, they showed that this year. During the regular season, they're tough, but in the playoffs, they're not that good."

FC Dallas' treble will have to wait

FC Dallas went into the 2016 post-season with a pair of trophies already procured in the form of the U.S. Open Cup and the MLS Supporters' Shield and, as such, Oscar Pareja's side had an opportunity to complete the domestic treble with an MLS Cup victory.

It was a dream that ultimately could not be accomplished, but, regardless of Dallas' playoff fate, the team has every reason to be proud of its 2016 season.

"Today it kind of seems like a failure, but tomorrow it will be like this was a good season overall," Dallas attacker Tesho Akindele said, as quoted by MLSsoccer. "If you told us we were going to get two trophies this season, we would have taken that at the beginning."

True north strong and free

For the first time in league history, a team (well, two) from north of the border made the conference final, with Montreal and Toronto contesting the Eastern Conference Championship. As such, regardless of the winner, the MLS Cup final will be played with a distinctly Canadian flavour for the first time.

Now, whether that's the taste of poutine featuring Saputo-brand cheese curds, or Hogtown's finest slices of Canadian bacon remains to be seen, though it will be settled on both sides of Highway 401 by November's end.

Howard knows the hero role well

Fans of the U.S. men's national team know full well what kind of heroics goalkeeper Tim Howard can pull off, a fact that Rapids fans relished and LA Galaxy supporters rued on Sunday after a dramatic penalty shootout.

Howard didn't just see his team through to the western conference final, he also preserved the Rapids' unbeaten home record in 2016, while extending the Galaxy's poor road form. Bruce Arena's side hasn't won a playoff game on the road since 2012.

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