Morning Box Score
By Matt Motyka in News on Apr 8, 2009 3:00PM
Bulls Knock Off Knicks
The Chicago Bulls were pestered by the New York Knicks on Tuesday but emerged victorious, by a score of 110-103. Chicago, trailing by five points early in the fourth quarter, used a three-minute, 15-0 run to turn the tide and take a double-digit lead. The Knicks were undeterred, however, and cut the deficit to one with under 30 seconds to play. Steady free-throw shooting and a timely blocked shot by Tyrus Thomas kept New York at bay, as the Bulls went on to win their second straight game. The key block on Quentin Richardson's three-point attempt was one of four Thomas, who also contributed 18 points and six rebounds. Teammate Kirk Hinrich led the scoring off the bench with 25. With four games remaining, Chicago sits in seventh place, a half game ahead of Detroit and two-and-a-half behind Philadelphia, who comes to town on Thursday.
'Hawks Top Predators
The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Nashville Predators 4-2 Tuesday night to remain perfect in the month of April. The 'Hawks were stymied in the first period as Nashville jumped to 1-0 lead, but the floodgates opened when Jonathan Toews and Dustin Byfuglien both scored less than a minute into the second. Patrick Kane made it 3-1 with a backhand goal later in the period, and Martin Havlat deposited an empty-netter late in the third to ensure the victory. The win helped Chicago hold on to fourth place in the West and dealt a blow to Nashville's playoff hopes, who are currently sitting in ninth place. The 'Hawks play host to the Blue Jackets on Wednesday before closing the season with two against the Red Wings.
'Stros Best Cubs
The Cubs' first extra-inning affair was an unsuccessful one, as they fell to the Houston Astros 3-2 in 10. Derrek Lee laced a liner to right to put Chicago up 1-0 in the third, but the Astros cracked Ryan Dempster with runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Alfonso Soriano played equalizer with a monstrous solo shot in the eighth, ultimately sending this one into extras. Neal Cotts then allowed the first two runners to reach in the 10th before getting the hook, and Kevin Gregg couldn't get out of the jam as the winning run crossed on a broken bat grounder from Jeff Keppinger. Cotts was saddled with the loss, and the Cubs and 'Stros will do it one more time this evening.
AP Photo/Jim Prisching