That day has arrived, and for Fassel, the Locos' coach, it's not just important from an emotional standpoint. His team needs a win tonight if it hopes to move closer to gaining a spot in the Nov. 27 championship game at Sam Boyd Stadium.

The top two teams will play for the title, and the Florida Tuskers have clinched a spot with a 4-0 record. The Locos are 1-2, a half-game behind second-place California.

"New York is definitely dear to my heart," Fassel said from Long Island, where the Locos will face the Sentinels at Hofstra University's Shuart Stadium. "I have great memories from my time coaching the Giants. I was treated well by the media and the fans. I was here at 9/11, and it's indelible in my mind.

"But we have a football game to win. In this league, there's no division. No conference. It's just the two best records, and if we don't take care of business, we won't have to worry about the championship game."

Las Vegas is coming off a 27-24 loss to first-place Florida on Friday in St. Petersburg, a game that went back and forth, was tied 24-all midway through the fourth quarter and ultimately came down to a couple of missed opportunities on offense for the Locos.

"I never like to lose, but I liked the way we competed," Fassel said. "We made it a physical game, and it was a good effort. But we still have some things we have to clean up."

Fassel is dealing with a short work week and a long injury list. His 50-man roster has 16 players with injuries, the most serious being to cornerback Brandon Sumerall, who is unlikely to play with a sprained knee.

Running back DeDe Dorsey (foot) and safety Tony Parrish (knee) also are hobbling. But Dorsey, the team's leading rusher, and Parrish, one of the Locos' top tacklers, are expected to play.

"It's tough," Fassel said. "We were in a very physical game, and when you have only a couple of days to bounce back, it makes it hard. But we stayed on the East Coast, and we've been able to get our guys their daily treatment."

The Sentinels are 0-3 and have surrendered 79 points, the most in the UFL, while scoring 33 points, the fewest in the league. But Fassel said don't be fooled by the statistics.

"When you look at them from a coaching aspect, you look at whether they're making progress," Fassel said. "They got better from the first game to the second game and from the second game to the third game. That's what concerns me the most."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.