The Morning After: 'Hawks Drop Game One
By Marcus Gilmer in News on Apr 17, 2010 3:30PM
Blackhawks Upset In Game One
For two periods, it looked like the Blackhawks would pull out a tough victory over the Nashville Predators in Game One of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. But it was ultimately Nashville who skated away winners 4-1. Patrick Kane scored the game's first goal halfway through the second period to give the 'Hawks an early lead but Nashville answered in the opening minutes of the third to tie the game. At the halfway point of the third, JP Dumont scored again for the Predators, giving them a 2-1 lead. The score stayed that way until the final minute, when the 'Hawks pulled goalie Antti Niemi and Nashville scored a pair of empty netters to secure victory. Niemi had 22 saves on 24 shots faced and both teams got 26 shots overall, though the 'Hawks were held to just four shots in the third period. We're sure this had nothing to do with the loss. Nope, no bad luck at all. The 'Hawks will have a chance to even up the series in Game Two on Sunday night (7:30 p.m., CSN).
Cubs Rally Past Astros
Maybe all that fretting over Carlos Silva was for naught. The pitcher the Cubs snagged in the Milton Bradley trade had a few sharp outings this spring and carried that over to the season. He had his second solid start of the season yesterday and even helped his own cause as he got the W and the Cubs rallied past the Astros for a 7-2 victory. Silva's RBI double in the bottom of the third put the Cubs up before the 'Stros took the lead on two runs in the fourth. But a seventh inning rally, capped off by a Derrek Lee three-run homer, put the Cubs up 7-2 and they cruised in for the win. The Cubs are now back at .500 (5-5) on the year and send Tom Gorzelanny to the hill this afternoon in an effort to pick up another win (12:05, CSN).
Tribe Thumps Sox
The Sox' offensive woes continued last night as they fell to Cleveland 6-2. Paul Konerko knocked a solo homer in the second to put the Sox up 1-0 but Cleveland scored three runs in an inning twice off of starter Mark Buehrle even as the Sox could only muster one other run. Buehrle gave up all six runs over six innings and earned the loss, his first of the season, giving up six hits and four walks. After the game, Buehrle said, "Obviously, I'm not a huge strikeout pitcher, but I can't be walking guys and putting guys on base. The starting pitcher has to do a better job of trying to keep us in the game." The Sox are now 4-7 on the year and Jake Peavy tries to bounce back from his first two rough outings to get his first victory of the season (3:10 p.m., FOX).