By rallying for Saturday night’s unlikely victory over the Blackhawks, the Blues remained one of the NHL’s pleasant surprises.

This team still must clean up its even-strength play to contend for a playoff spot this season. But the team’s ability to attack with three dangerous lines it fun to watch and difficult to play against.

Coach Andy Murray bristles when reporters attempt to label the offensive lines as first, second or third. In his mind, the Blues can assemble three No. 1 lines when everybody is healthy.

Their depth is much, much better than a year ago. Even with an injury-depleted lineup –with Lee Stempniak (knee) and Patrik Berglund (shoulder) sidelined — the Blues were able to create three effective combinations.

Rookie T.J. Oshie played 15:30 against the Blackhawks, working on both the power play (second unit) and the penalty kill. He was plus-2 at even strength, assisted on Keith Tkachuk’s goal and decided the game with his shootout goal.

Rookie Chris Porter played 11:18, chipped in on the penalty kill and scored at even strength.

The Blackhawks bemoaned their bad luck at the end of this game. But as hockey fans know, teams create good fortune by applying pressure.

During the latter stages of last season, there was little chance the Note would erase a late two-goal deficit, even at home.

AROUND THE RINKS: Until the end Saturday night, Nikolai Khabibulin was making a good case to stay with the Blackhawks – even though the team’s expensive redundancy in goal prevents it from adding a much-needed center. The rumor mill had Chicago relocating the Bulin Wall to the AHL and dealing for Islanders speedster Mike Comrie. But what the Hawks really need to do is get Robert Lang back from the Canadiens – that deal, forced by cap problems, weakened Chicago up front . . . Will Washington’s gamble on Jose Theodore pay off? The early returns are spotty. Remember, Theodore was pretty erratic in goal during his last few years in Colorado . . . Hockey Guy is happy for Marc Bergevin, one of our all-time favorite players. He joined the Blackhawks coaching staff at the behest of Quenneville . . . Coach Q is looking to get more from oft-injured winter Martin Havlat. “He’s a top guy [and] can be the difference-maker on a lot of nights,” Quenneville told the Chicago Tribune. “Top guys like that, you want to enhance their creativity. We expect our top guys to lead in a lot of ways, and he’s one of them” . . . With Marek Schwarz nominally backing up Manny Legace, Ben Bishop can get more work for the Peoria Rivermen. This is a good thing . . .  In six games, the so-called “No. 2” line of Aaron Voros, Brandon Dubinsky, and Nikolai Zherdev produced 19 points . . . If the Blues want to keep their streak alive by drafting another defenseman in the first round next year, the team should grab Swedish prospect Victor Hedman, whose stock is soaring . . . Andrew Raycroft is making a big for the No. 1 goaltending job in Colorado, where Peter Budaj struggled early. Raycroft just made back-to-back starts and won both . . . With Denis Savard gone, Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette moves atop the endangered coaches list. And Barry Melrose may be giving his bosses in Tampa Bay pause . . . The Stars are still getting used to having Sean Avery in their team mix. “We are expecting him to bring an attitude,” goaltender Marty Turco observed. “We want him to play hard with a chip on his shoulder but not walk around with one.”