FOXBORO -- One week after scratching his head and wondering just how the MetroStars put the ball behind him five times, Matt Reis was enjoying his ninth shutout in goal for the New England Revolution.

The 30-year-old Reis, in his third season with the Revolution, had to make just three saves, none of them very testing as New England secured its fourth straight MLS playoff spot with a one-goal shutout of the MetroStars before the fourth largest crowd of the season at Gillette Stadium on Saturday.

In improving to an Eastern Conference-leading 16-6-7 record, the Revolution increased their MLS-best record on home soil to 10-1-3.

`` The most important thing was to win and qualify for the playoffs,'' said Reis, who despite a dominating performance by his teammates through the first half against the MetroStars had yet to get on the scoreboard. `` We've played that well at other times, we were very dominant, we created chances.''

And Reis saw very little work, earning his first `` clean sheet'' in three weeks, or since a 1-0 victory at Real Salt Lake. `` In a match like that, you have to be aware of that one shot,'' said Reis, cognizant of one misplayed bounce which could result in yielding a goal. `` In the big picture, though, winning and getting into the playoffs is more important than avenging a loss against a team that scored five goals against you,'' he continued.

The Revolution surrendered precious little space to the MetroStars, `` because it starts with the men at the top (Taylor Twellman, Patrick Noonan, the strikers) pressuring the ball,'' said New England coach Steve Nicol. Instead of the forwards floating, they attack the ball and New England's aggressive midfield tandem of Daniel Hernandez and Shalrie Joseph are constantly challenging.