Morning Box Score
By Marcus Gilmer in News on Nov 12, 2009 4:00PM
'Hawks Melt Avs In Shoot-Out
The Blackhawks played the Avs last night for the third time this season. And for the third time this season, the game went to a shoot-out. And for the second time, the Blackhawks came away the victors, this time by a 3-2 final. Down 1-0 late in the first period, Patrick Kane scored his fifth goal of the season to tie the game. After the Avs scored in the second, it was Cam Barker who tied the game at 2-2 a few minutes into the third period. And then there was the shoot-out, a mercifully short three-round affair (compared to the eight and nine round shoot-outs the teams have battled in this season) with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp scoring the two 'Hawks goals to clinch victory. Huet got the win in goal with 27 saves in regulation and two saves on three shots in the shoot-out. Once again, the young 'Hawks out-shot the opposition by a final tally of 39-27. The 'Hawks now try to keep their five-game home win streak alive tomorrow night in an Original Six battle with the Maple Leafs this Friday (7:30 p.m., CSN).
Bulls Squander Hot Start Against Raptors
It was a Tale of Two Halves in Toronto last night. In the first half, the Bulls could seemingly do no wrong, shooting 52 percent and scoring 60 points. But it all went horribly wrong in the second as they only mustered 29 second half points and scored only a free throw over the final 9:21 of the game to allow the Raptors to come away the winners 99-89. Said Derrick Rose (14 pts/5 reb/6 ast) afterward, "It is real frustrating knowing that we had the game. We started off well, played defense and to have to lose by not making shots towards the end kind of hurt." Luol Deng continued a good season with 18 points and 8 rebounds, Taj Gibson added 18, and Joakim Noah scored 12 and pulled down 11 boards. Still, between Tuesday's heartbreaker and last night's collapse, we're worried about the spirit of this team being broken so early in the season. They'll need to right the ship quick this Saturday against Philly (7 p.m., CSN) because after that, it's out on the road for the dreaded Circus Trip.