"Well before the Blackhawks watched Marian Hossa grimace in pain after a practice collision Monday, and well before they watched team medical staff help the star winger off the ice, they surely knew this whole Stanley Cup championship defense thing was, like, really hard.

But they now are keenly aware that is it not particularly fair, either. Because just after the Hawks uncovered a legitimate groove during the circus trip slog, they were broadsided with the news Tuesday that Hossa likely will miss two to three weeks with a lower-body injury.

"Unfortunately, it's something we had to get used to not too long ago, and now it happened again," Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said, smiling a bit ruefully.

"Hopefully he can get back in sooner or later. I think we've been a better team with him than without him, but it is what it is. And sometimes freak things are going to happen whether it's in practice or the game. You just have to try to make up for that void."

It is more of the unfortunate same, as Hossa, the team's fourth-leading scorer, was out from Oct. 28 to Nov. 7 with an upper-body injury. Hossa favored his right leg after the Monday collision with defenseman Nick Boynton, but Hawks coach Joel Quenneville indicated the injury was "independent" of any Hossa has suffered previously.

Regardless, it is maddening for all parties. The Hawks were fairly well situated in the Western Conference playoff picture entering Tuesday's game with the Blues, with a cavalcade of December home games to aid in making up ground.

Now, a team playing better is without a versatile, talented forward."