Soapbox stand time.

I'm ignoring the second consecutive shootout loss entirely, because I really just don't want to talk about it. So, abandoning that in favor of a soapbox stand. That's right, I have my ranty stick and I'm preparing my authoritative voice. Be afraid. Be very afraid. The topic of choice? Dennis Wideman. Well, not so much Dennis as the way people speak of him.

Because what are Bruins fans if they don't have something, or someone, to gripe about?

In this case, we're griping about someone who has been our top defenseman so far this season. Forget the penalty on whatshisface Kostitsyn in the Montreal game. Dennis Wideman's game has grown since we got him two seasons ago. He's become one of the (if not the) top defensemen on our team. When we traded Brad Boyes for him, we were just looking for someone to fill a defensive hole. We seriously didn't think we had a top four defenseman here, just someone to kind of be there and fill in spaces, but over the past one-and-a-half seasons, he's developed into one of our stalwarts. He produces offensively, without allowing it to take much (if any) from his defensive game.

Yeah, there have been times where he's gone in and out of the doghouse. But seriously, what player in the NHL hasn't? Shall we recap the top three things he's done for us? Just off the top of my head? Because there are definitely more than just that.

03: The 18,000th goal in Bruins history. We were in an epic scoring draught around that time, if you recall. We were shut out for four and a half periods in a row and he scored, and it happened to be the 18,000th in Bruins history.
02: The tying goal in the Pens game when we came back from 0-4 down. An opportune goal at an opportune moment, which, maybe didn't lead to the result we'd wished for? But it definitely helped.
01: The pass that lead to the OT winner in game 3 against the Habs last season. Because without that beautiful behind the back pass he made, Marc Savard wouldn't have been able to score that goal.

Remember that, guys?

I have so much more to say, but really...he's a great player. And I think a lot of the reason why people like to scapegoat him is because, well, Bruins fans always need something...or, should I say someone to complain about. Get over it, guys. Because a lot of the time? You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone. And I'd really not like it if that were the case this time.

Why start a new trend...

...when the old one is working so well? Yeah, we'll go with that. I made a bullet list of things to talk about from last night's game, so...shall we begin? We'll start with the good things.

When you're hot, you're hot.

Marc Savard. What can I say that I haven't already said? Five goals in three games? Talk about starting the season with a streak. His first goal was a thing of beauty. Absolute beauty. But the second? A lucky bounce in Montreal...going our way? That's an insane concept and I'm wondering what in the world happened there. Maybe the ghosts are colorblind and thought that the black and gold jerseys were suddenly bleu, blanc et rouge. Either way, mess up of a ghost or just a genuine lucky bounce in our favor? I quite like it. And when you're hot, the bounces go in your favor, right?

Tough calls beget tough goals.

And the fact that Dennis Wideman cross checked whichever Kostitsyn brother that was, isn't a question, no. But when a ref calls a retaliation? They have to call the initial penalty, too. I don't know what kind of gunk the ref had in his eyes, but...did he miss when Kostitsyn scissor tripped Wideman to the ground? I have a slight Wideman bias, I'll admit, but...I'd feel the same way if roles had been reversed, so...I really think they need to find refs who won't bias either way. That may not exist but it's worth a try, because the refs always seem to have a bias toward the Canadiens when we play them.

The boo birds were flying high last night, as is standard with a Boston/Montreal tilt. Poor Michael Ryder...that must have been rough on him, going back to his old haunt and being pretty much booed to the point of a screw up each time he touched the puck. He did, however, notch an assist, so it was sort of a 'I can still do this' thing for him. Which is good.

Also, what was Tim Thomas thinking?! I don't know whether it was at the end of the third or at some point in OT, but...when he went chasing after the puck like he was walking a dog? Oh Timmy, I love you right to bits, but please don't ever do that again.

No comment on the shootout. It was rough. But we could have had two points if not for that momentary collapse. Keep that in mind next time, boys.