Senators Torch Bruins 4-1 as Boston's Backup Gets Shelled

So much for goaltending being a wash. The Senators rolled into TD Garden and boat-raced the Bruins 4-1, turning our Bruins +1.5 pick into expensive confetti. We banked on neither netminder being an asset — DiPietro at .897, Ersson at .870 — but Ottawa's Michael DiPietro stood tall when it mattered while Boston's backup got lit up like a Christmas tree. The Senators didn't just squeak past the spread; they stomped on it, winning by three in a building where Boston was supposed to keep things competitive despite the back-to-back grind.

Our logic wasn't crazy: Ottawa missing Zub, Sanderson day-to-day, road favorites historically struggling to cover -1.5. But the Bruins looked gassed from puck drop, couldn't generate sustained pressure, and got punished for every mistake. The Senators capitalized on transition chances, controlled the neutral zone, and made Boston's depleted lineup look every bit as tired as feared. When your entire thesis hinges on "bad goaltending cancels out," and one guy decides to actually show up, you're cooked.

Credit where due: Ottawa took care of business. We took the higher-probability side and got run over by the lower one. That's hockey. That's gambling. That's why we're back tomorrow.