Chicago's sports teams took a beating Monday night, with losses on the ice and on the court tightening the playoff races for the Blackhawks and the Bulls.
In Game 2 of the Bulls match-up with the Boston Celtics, a three-point shot with two seconds on the clock carried Boston over the Bulls 118-115.
The Celtics' Ray Allen sank a 25-foot three-pointer over Joakim Noah's outstretched arms in the final seconds of the game.
"Allen's shot capped a shootout for the ages with fellow Connecticut alumnus Ben Gordon," The Chicago Tribune reports, "and this still-fresh moment looked like it might haunt Noah forever—or at least until Game 3 Thursday night at the United Center."
"Tough loss, tough loss," Noah said, staring off into the distance. "Good shot. Good shot. Good shot. But we'll be ready on Thursday. We'll be ready on Thursday."
If you repeat it often enough, it will come true. The Trib says Noah's repetitious response was not a surprise after Allen's stunning shot.
"The loss left the Bulls shaking their heads at a missed opportunity and angrily glaring at a box score that showed a 50-36 rebounding disadvantage and a 32-12 Celtics edge in second-chance points," the Tribune reports.
Game 3 will tip the balance. The Bulls' victory on the court Saturday night means the series is tied 1-1.
In Calgary Monday night, the Blackhawks fell to the Calgary Flames in a 4-2 loss at the Pengrowth Saddledome.
The Hawks gained an early lead, "but the Flames reeled off four scores in a row ... to cut the Hawks' lead in the best-of-seven series to 2-1," according to a Tribune report.
"We started off really well," Hawks winger Ben Eager said. "We had our chances. [Kiprusoff] played well. We didn't expect to sweep these guys. It's going to be a long series, it's going to be a tough series and that's what it was [Monday night]."
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Game 4 will be played on Wednesday night in Calgary.
"We started off really well," Hawks winger Ben Eager said. "We had our chances. [Kiprusoff] played well. We didn't expect to sweep these guys. It's going to be a long series, it's going to be a tough series and that's what it was [Monday night]."
