As many Canadians are aware, hockey bets are serious business, even when they're not. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty knows that all too well.

McGuinty half-jokingly claims to have a beef, or rather, a chicken with New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer, dating back to a bet the two made during the NHL playoffs over whether the Ottawa Senators or Buffalo Sabres would emerge victorious from the Eastern Conference finals. "This is a major international incident and we'll be looking at taking it to some international court at the earliest possible opportunity," said a smirking McGuinty Tuesday. "I was supposed to get really spicy wings, and I've been looking forward to those for a very long time."

It seems as though McGuinty has a real bone to pick with folks in the Empire State, and it's all over some chicken wings he's been licking his chops over for four months now. "To the best of my knowledge I've never received my winnings from Governor Spitzer," he grumps.

Of course, Dalton is hardly off the hook. When the Anaheim Ducks beat Ottawa in the Stanley Cup finals a couple of weeks later, the premier was supposed to send California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger a box of Niagara wine and tins of Tim Horton's coffee. The Liberal leader says he did it, but it turns out he cut some corners in the process - like, taking the grinds from his own kitchen cupboard.

"I just gave him half a can," he admitted.

The Governor wouldn't speak to the issue, but McGuinty's staff claims to be confident the wings will be flown in sometime before the next hockey season kicks off.

There's only one problem: the Sens won't play again until after the next provincial election in October, meaning McGuinty's opposition could be enjoying the fruits, er, chicken of his labour.