"You know I was just bullshittin'." (Nuccio DiNuzzo, Chicago Tribune)

A full day has passed, and I still can’t believe the ‘Hawks won that game. Complete disappointment to utter elation to ridiculously nervous to celebratory shots all in about 40 minutes. Saturday had some of everything.

And once again, it had Brent Seabrook. Definitely the MVP of the first two games for the Blackhawks, Seabrook was a part of a last-second regulation goal to tie the game. His blast from the point was redirected past Mike Smith by Patrick Sharp, sending the ‘Hawks into OT where Bryan Bickell would win it 4-3.

Just a couple of quick things as we await Game 3 at the UC on Tuesday…

♦   First, let’s address the “hit” on Smith by Andrew Shaw. Before getting fully into it, the NHL needs to immediately institute a rule that states if a player needs medical attention from the bench due to an apparent blow to the head, said player should be required to be taken to the locker room for testing as soon as he’s able to stand on the ice. With all the constant policing against hits to the head and the effects on star players – Jonathan Toews, Sidney Crosby, etc. – you would think this would be in the rulebook already.

Smith laid there for a few minutes as if he had gotten shot. Shaw clearly was trying to avoid the contact, and whatever happened incidentally did not require the sack-of-bricks fall and ensuing fake blackout by Smith. If it was that serious, Smith should never have stayed in the game. Instead, we may have witnessed the best dive of the playoffs – even better than Ryan Kesler’s load of bullshit on Sunday night – that almost cost the ‘Hawks the game due to a major penalty call.

Shaw will meet with Brendan Shanahan today, and if Shaw is issued any sort of suspension, Shanahan should immediately be fired. For the rest of his career as The Shanahammer, he’ll have to answer for not penalizing Shea Weber and rightly so. For Shaw to be levied a suspension and Weber allowed to skate free would be such a crime there’s no way Shanahan can ever be taken seriously again.

♦   Smith changed the game simply based on him drawing penalties. Toews did everything short of skating backwards in attempting to avoid Smith on a rush to the net, and Smith blatantly pushed Toews. Somehow, the refs whistled the captain for an interference penalty, and Antoine Vermette potted a power-play goal. Vermette also scored on the PP after Shaw’s penalty.

♦   I asked where Viktor Stalberg has been in this series about 45 seconds before he assisted on the game-winner. Hi.

♦   Marian Hossa isn’t exactly setting the world on fire in this series, but he did fire a team-high six shots at Smith on Saturday. Still, it would be nice to have him in on a little more action.

♦   So you’re telling me Bickell scored twice, including the OT winner, and the ‘Hawks also got a goal from Brandon Bollig? I know I was drunk on Saturday, but I wasn’t hallucinating, was I? Unreal.

♦   Raffi Torres was way too big a part of Game 2 for my liking.

♦   The Blackhawks’ 50 shots were their most since putting 55 on net in a a season-opening shootout loss to Florida on Oct. 2, 2009, in Finland. They haven’t had that many shots in a playoff game since attempting a whopping 57 in a 4-3 double-overtime victory in Game 3 against Colorado on April 20, 1997. Sergei Krivokrasov scored the winner in that contest.

♦   How long will it take Vancouver to fire Alain Vigneault after the Canucks lose to Los Angeles? Over/under is one week.

♦   I’ll be in Section 326, Row 12, Seat 11 at the United Center for Game 3. See you there.