Whitecaps face conference test in K.C.

When the 2015 regular season wrapped up, just six points separated the second-place Vancouver Whitecaps from the seventh-place San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference. Six points. Two wins between hosting a playoff game and missing the playoffs.

So Caps coach Carl Robinson didn’t hesitate when asked about prioritizing this week.

Vancouver — which beat FC Dallas 3-0 at home on Saturday — hosts Kansas City on Wednesday at B.C. Place Stadium, then travels to New York City for a game Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

“Every intra-conference game is very important,” Robinson said. “We know (K.C.) are a good team and the league is very tight.

“One or two defeats and you’re at the bottom and everyone says it’s a crisis, and one or two wins and you’re at the top and everyone says you’re off to an unbelievable start.

“The (conference) is going to be like that all the way to the end, like it was last year when San Jose missed out on the last day and Portland got in.

“(Portland) were the best team in the league (MLS Cup champions) by sneaking into the playoffs.”

Robinson, a retired midfielder, took part in small-sided scrimmages Monday with the players who didn’t see the field — or saw limited time — against Dallas.

Last Saturday’s starters, meanwhile, had a short recovery session.

Robinson will likely want to stick with a similar starting 11 on Wednesday, then dip into his depth more for the road trip to NYCFC.

The Caps (3-4-1) are catching K.C. (4-4-0) on a three-game losing streak, and on very short rest.

Saturday’s Whitecaps win was due in no small part to goalkeeper David Ousted, named to the MLS team of the week Monday.