By JOHN BOSCHINI

The playoff picture is slowly coming in to focus as the NASL has less than one month left in the regular season.

FC Edmonton was fortunate to play the woeful Atlanta Silverbacks last weekend to snap an eight-game winless streak but faces a much tougher test against Puerto Rico on Saturday. The Islanders are the only remaining challenge to the Carolina Railhawks' attempt to capture the regular-season title but must make up seven points in six games.

More realistic for Puerto Rico, which officially wrapped up a playoff spot with last weekend's win against FC Tampa Bay, is a first-round bye with a second-place finish, as Tampa Bay seems unlikely to make up a 10-point deficit with so few games remaining.

The Montreal Impact have found a recent burst of form and have rattled off two shutout victories and have closed the distance on sixth place to six points. Montreal has a tough fixture against the NSC Minnesota Stars and their scant two losses at home.

Here is a look ahead to the rest of the action in the NASL:

FC Tampa Bay at Fort Lauderdale Strikers (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.)

It might not be flashy but FC Tampa Bay is putting the ball in the net.

Tampa has not been shut out since a scoreless draw with Minnesota in May and has racked up the second-most goals scored with 3. This should bode well against a Fort Lauderdale defense that has conceded 30 goals far this season. The Strikers find themselves on the rear end of a crowded middle of the table but could jump back up into third with a win.

Carolina Railhawks at Atlanta Silverbacks (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.)

The Carolina Railhawks are all but assured the top seed in the upcoming NASL playoffs and will use this seemingly easy fixture to build momentum for the home stretch.

Atlanta will be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs with a loss but with 17 points to make up in less than a month, there was never much chance of post-season play in Atlanta to begin with. More concerning for Silverbacks fans is the plummeting quality of play. Atlanta has not scored a goal in five games and has conceded 11 goals in that time frame.

FC Edmonton at Puerto Rico Islanders (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.)

FC Edmonton may have risen out of sixth place but needs one or two more victories to feel secure in its playoff future.

A victory is unlikely to come against a Puerto Rico Islanders side that is riding a four-game winning streak. Puerto Rico will continue to rely on the goal-scoring form of Jonathan Fana, who has risen to fourth in the league's goal-scoring table.

Montreal Impact at NSC Minnesota Stars (Saturday, 8 p.m.)

If the Montreal Impact are somehow able to chase down the field and nab sixth place, it would mark an incredible comeback. The Impact have picked up 10 points in the past three weeks after managing only 12 during the first four months of the season.

The Impact must be wary of the Stars, though, who can beat just about anyone on a given day with talent like goalkeeper Joe Warren and the offensive combination of Devin Del Do and Simone Bracalello.

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What do you think of this weekend's games? Can Montreal continue its momentum? Will Carolina roll over Atlanta? Which Florida team will come out on top?

Share your thoughts below.