After a 2-2 draw with the New England Revolution on Tuesday night at Gillette Stadium, Sean Johnson stopped Adam Buksa's penalty kick and all five of Johnson's teammates converted theirs as New York City FC advanced to their first-ever Eastern Conference Final, prevailing 5-3 in a shootout. Alexander Callens scored the game-winning penalty kick to give NYCFC the win and eliminate the Supporters' Shield champions. In an entertaining and dramatic Conference Semifinal against the No. 1 seed, the No. 4 seed led for six minutes in regulation time and nine minutes in extra time.

In their second match of the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs, the visitors scored goals through Valentin Castellanos and Santiago Rodriguez. However, four minutes after scoring his second postseason goal in the 109th minute, Castellanos was sent off for his second yellow card infraction, assuring he would miss this weekend's match against Philadelphia, which determined the East's Cup representative.

The visitors were effectively reduced to nine players as right-back Tayvon Gray appeared to suffer a leg injury and NYCFC used up all of their substitute windows. When Tajon Buchanan volleyed home Emmanuel Boateng's cross in the 118th minute, the hosts had equalized for the second time. To counter Rodriguez's side-footed snap strike, Buksa scored New England's first equalizer 109 minutes earlier on Carles Gil's free-kick service. However, throughout the course of 120 minutes, NYCFC had the greater number of chances and deserved to advance against New England, who fell short of being the eighth Supporters' Shield winner to also win the MLS Cup. Despite scoring a franchise-record 73 points in the regular season, it's more heartache for New England. What was the impact of their 23-day break and Round One bye?

[Photography by ICONIC photographer Cameron Kincheloe]