You have to admire Kentucky Derby odds horses. As soon as they hear that gun (horse race betting has gun shots, right?), they get going with no hestitation. While the stakes aren’t the same for us humans — a hesitation doesn’t put us in the glue factory — I figure I should apply that principle to NHL playoff betting. The series have started, with a game in the books everywhere, so let’s just jump in and start commenting.

* Mats Sundin needs to find his legs soon. It was forgivable when he scored just 28 points in 41 regular-season games with Vancouver, but his lack of speed and reaction time in Game 1 was concerning. He needs to be an important contributor for the Canucks odds to really go anywhere.

* Milan Lucic is a somewhat polarizing player in that some people love him and build him up, almost to the point of overrating him, while others get pissed off about his overhype and love to hate him. Whatever you think of him, online betting fans have to love what he did in Boston’s Game 1 win over the Habs. Forget the two assists, even — the kid is just built for the playoffs. He was a terror in the corners, throwing his body into anything that breathed. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles himself on the road; it’s always easier for a player like him to feed off the crowd at home.

* Chris Osgood took the first step toward quieting his NHL betting critics last night, making a pile of serious saves in Detroit’s win over Columbus. If he finds himself in time NHL playoff betting, the Red Wings odds look pretty damn good right now.

* It’s only one loss, but there was something…I dunno….eerie about the Sharks’ Game-1 loss at home last night. Nobody wanted to play the Ducks in the first round and the Sharks have that choking history…gulp. Still way too early to right them off at the sportsbook; they remain my Stanley Cup odds pick.

* Relax, Flames odds detractors. Calgary will be fine. There was no way the NHL attendance leader Hawks were going to lose Game 1 in front of a wild crowd that hadn’t seen a playoff game since 2002.

Less than 80 hours until Super Bowl XLIII betting ends…

Ah! Sidetracked again. I know, this is a hockey blog. But c’mon, it’s Super Bowl betting. It doesn’t get much bigger than that.

Anyway, onto hockey. Ho hum, another monster game for Michael Cammalleri last night. Give him eight goals in his last four games. Did anyone who follows NHL betting think the Kings got a good deal with they shipped him to Calgary last summer? Sure, the Kings ended up with the 12th pick in the draft (D-man Colten Teubert) as a result. But it’s hard for those who bet on hockey to understand their logic, isn’t it?

Let’s see. L.A. is a basement dweller who has stockpiled draft picks and is finally starting to rise in the standings on the wings of its “young guns.” So…I guess they decided they had to ship out “old guys” like the 26-year-old Cammalleri? Who had an 80-point season before spending much of last year on the shelf due to injury?

I suppose the Kings would argue to NHL betting fans that they traded to pick Teubert since they needed more blueline help and have enough good young forwards. But they already have Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson and Kyle Quincey. So I can’t see why they dealt Cammalleri.

The Flames are reaping the rewards and dominating. This is what happens when Jarome Iginla has another teammate who can score goals.

Here are some highlights from Cammalleri’s Kings days. All those goals just scream “run this guy out of town.”