Figuring shit out

I haven't really known wtf to say about either the 'Hawks or Leafs games yet. I mean, Krejci was amazing in the Hawks game, and wow that building is quiet during play. It only really got loud if there was a good play, a hit, or a goal.  Then in the Leafs game, the B's came out hard, and the Leafs seemed pretty willing to keep giving them the puck. But yeah, I'm gonna blame the past two losses on Stuart, Wideman, Morris (HALF THE D-CORPS!) being out. I'm not going to finger point any particular player and say step it up... OK yes I am. Marc Savard, step it the fuck up already. This time last year you had 29 assists. Right now you have 8. You gonna let Big Joe outshine you like this? That's so not right.

There's also a little something that's been nagging at me. Three games Schenn sits out, the Leafs handily win two. His first return he plays 19:44, the Leafs lose. Second game, against the B's, he played 10:48, and they won. Stats don't tell all the tales, and his physical play was definitely up to par (I particularly liked watching he and Sobotka go at it (btw, it's Suh-boat-kuh, not Soh-bot-kah)), but it's little things like that that make me curious. Can one defenceman make that much of an impact on a team's W/L record? I know THREE can. Or the absence of three.

Also: RE Boychuk's hit on Stajan... first off, Happy Birthday, Matty! Keep your head up. Secondly, yeah I can see how people would say, it was a headshot, Johnny should be suspended, but he shouldn't. Stajan had his knees bent, he was in a defencive crouch stature, his head was down, and Johnny's kind of tall. He didn't leave his feet until the contact had been made and STAJAN NEEDS TO KEEP HIS HEAD UP. Especially in the neutral zone, c'mon. That's where the greatest open-ice hits happen! I will say I'm confused why Chara didn't get a penalty after the ensuing melee, and it's always nice to see Komisarek bleeding. But that was just a game lost due to inexperience on the blue line. Hunwick, Chara and Ference can't do it all alone. Tuukka needs his guys in front of him knowing what to do.

In other news, what's the word on who's going to be in net for the Classic? Here is what I think. Timmy, I love you, I really go - GO CATS GO! - and I get that you're the current Vezina winner. But right now, last night excepted, Tuukka has the hot glove. Unless that goes downhill significantly over the next week and some, I really think Rask should start. Now maybe they can switch off halfway through? But that makes it more of a ... "we're not so serious about the 2 points as we are the novelty of being in Fenway." It's a tough decision that'll have to be made. And we'll see over the next 5 games who plays their way into the spot. But man I'd hate to be either of those guys right now.

Pictures later. I have windows to cover with insulating film (YAY SNOW!).