Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Hockey Player Scores Big Harness Win

April 20, ,2008

Because with Kristian Huselius coming off the biggest win of his burgeoning career in harness racing, it becomes a valid distinction.

Fresh off hitting for a $1-million payout in a harness-racing wager in his native Sweden on Saturday, the talented forward responded with his best game of the playoffs Sunday night at the Pengrowth Saddledome, playing a role at both ends of the ice in Calgary's 2-0 series-tying win over the San Jose Sharks.

Huselius hit it big Saturday in a gambling proposition called the V75, in which punters try to pick at least five winners out of seven races at a track in Gothenburg. Huselius is no stranger to harness racing; he owns horses in Sweden and follows the industry closely.

"I just do it once in a while," said Huselius of the wager. "I don't know (what his previous biggest payout was); it wasn't that big, I can tell you that."

Huselius has no plans for the windfall. He's focusing on hockey.

"I'm not thinking about it at all," he said. "We're in the middle of this playoff series, so I'm just focusing on that. It was fun, obviously, but I'm just trying to focus on hockey."

His effort Sunday didn't go unnoticed, as teammates were praising him for his two-way contribution. A win Sunday night, and a million bucks in the bank -- it's hard to believe the weekend could have gone any better for Huselius.