Events like the Kentucky Derby odds and the Pacquiao vs Hatton boxing odds are about to take center stage in the sports betting world, so we hockey betting fans may as well retreat into the shadows and muse away on what’s becoming an interesting first round.

- Maxime Talbot’s courageous battle against heavyweight Daniel Carcillo in Game 6 Saturday raised an interesting online wagering debate between me and my pals. Some of my friends think the “fighting when you’re team is down to create a spark” theory is overrated, but who can ignore the fact that the Penguins rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win after that fight? And Talbot is reportedly a very popular guy in the dressing room.

- Did I miss something in the John Tortorella/Capitals fan brawl during Game 5 of the Rangers vs Capitals odds? Didn’t the guy dump a beer on Torts? And he gets suspended for retaliating? Nice job, NHL — you just told fans “go ahead and dump beer on coaches. They’ll get suspended.” See the incident for yourself:

- Love him or hate him, Pierre Maguire really knows what he’s talking about.

- As tough as the Flames vs Blackhawks odds have been, neither team has showed a ton of mental toughness so far; it’s been a “hit at home, wilt on the road” series for both teams, so Calgary should be a no-brainer sportsbook pick to win Game 7. Unless one of these squads shows an ability to win away from its own rink, the winner of this series could be ousted quickly in round two of the Stanley Cup odds.