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By Danny Picard
CSNNE.com
FOXBORO – It's bad enough that the New England Revolution have to play three games in an eight day span, but what makes Wednesday night's game against Chivas USA at Gillette Stadium even more frustrating is the fact that they'll be without two players.
Forward Kheli Dube and midfielder Joseph Niouky are suspended for the team's rare midweek game, thanks to the straight red cards each player received on Saturday night in a 1-1 draw with FC Dallas.
Dube was ejected from Saturday's game in the 56th minute, even after the replays showed he didn't do anything wrong. Niouky was ejected in the 72nd minute. His penalty was warranted, as Niouky's hard slide tackle from behind on Dallas' Heath Pearce was hardly legal.
Revolution coach Steve Nicol expressed his frustration with the officiating, for the second straight weekend, after Saturday night's 1-1 draw. Needless to say, he wasn't too happy that he'll be without two of his starters on Wednesday night against Chivas USA.
"We're not only getting punished for [Saturday], we're going to get punished on Wednesday for Saturday as well, and that's not good," said Nicol.
Wednesday marks the Revs' final game of a three-game home stand, a home stand in which they've yet to win a game. Without Dube, Schilawski will be looked upon to carry even more of the offense.
Dube leads the team in assists with three. Schilawski leads the team in goals with four. He scored his fourth on Saturday night. In his first MLS season, Schilawski is unsure of what to expect from a mid-week game.
"I don't know, I'm a rookie," he said. "This is my first Saturday/Wednesday turnaround. All I know right now, is that we've got practice on Monday. Usually we get Mondays off.
"It's a home game. We need to win it. We need to win to keep our record up there."
Both New England and Chivas USA enter Wednesday's game with 2-3-1 records. The Revolution haven't won a game since April 10, when they beat Toronto FC in their home opener.
Schilawski had a hat trick in that game. With Dube out, they'll need a similar effort from the rookie in order to get back in the win column.
"I'm excited," said Schilawski on getting right back into game action on Wednesday. "Maybe these things will start wearing you down towards the end of the season. But the more games, the better, as far as I'm concerned."
Danny Picard is on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DannyPicard
