3 Thoughts: Henry sinks Impact; BWP raises new scoring record

Henry broke Montreal

There was a moment in the 40th minute which illustrated Henry's contribution to this match: he flicked a header out wide to Roy Miller, starting a break down the left, and then chased the left back down to take the ball off him and orchestrate the attack in the final third. With hindsight, it was a sign Titi was going to have one of those nights where he puts the team on his back.

Two goals and an assist in the second half were the more significant contributions from the captain, but it's the little things he does which indicate his commitment to the cause.

Even when it was clear he needed to come out of the game, Henry gave one last demonstration of the effort required to his teammates, stifling yet another Impact counter-attack with a sliding tackle deep inside RBNY's half of the field. It was his final contribution to the game he turned around almost single-handed, and fitting that it involved him determinedly toppling a Montreal player: the captain doesn't just make goals for himself and others, he makes metaphors real.

Bradley broke a record

You may have  heard...BWP's brace against Montreal comprised goals 19 and 20 for his MLS regular season, and no MetroStar or Red Bull has ever scored 20 goals in a single season of league play before.

Having relieved Juan Pablo Angel of that particular record (set in 2007), BWP is now chasing an even older club scoring record: Adolfo Valencia scored 21 goals in all competitions in 2000 - and that remains the team's current all-time, all-competitions, high-water mark for goals in a season. For now.

Petke might finally have some subs he trusts

Mike Petke's reluctance to adjust tactics or personnel at a point in the game when there is still time to make a meaningful difference has been a recurring source of frustration to RBNY fans this season.

Not so on this night. In the 60th minute, With the score tied at 1-1, and the Red Bulls looking to have some momentum, Petke did something we haven't seen too often this year: he made an attacking substitution. Out came one of the coach's favorites, Eric Alexander; in came left-footed livewire Ambroise Oyongo. Seven minutes later, RBNY having jst nudged ahead 2-1, out came Tim Cahill, replaced by Peguy Luyindula. And in the 83rd minute, when the Red Bulls were somewhat nervously protecting a one-goal lead having just let a 3-1 lead slip to 3-2, and when Thierry Henry needed to be taken out of the game, in came another forward - Saer Sene.

Three substitutions, each at important moments in the game, each positive in their own way: we haven't seen that from Mike Petke in a while.