I was agreeing with both of you. I'm not really sure what's happening here. For the record, I don't think the NME are bad masks in any way ( non-plastic ones/pro). I don't think the shell shape of the chin had anything to do with their injuries as they were both hit in the chin from a frontal shot. Most masks are shaped almost identically at the very center, above and below the cage. A hard shot in those places will be felt no matter what. If their masks (NME, 961, CCM, whatever) fit properly and were worn properly I doubt they would have been injured in the way they were.
As a side note, I really dislike painting NME masks and 961-style masks in general. All those sharp ridges make masking graphics a pain in the butt. Freehanding, they're fine but any stencil work is a drag. That's a big reason why I love my Sportmask Razor: soft lines everywhere!