The Ducks went down, the Winterhawks went trading

The distraction: The University of Oregon just lost a heartbreaker to Auburn in the BCS national title game.

The WHL trade deadline report from Portland: All quiet on the last minute blockbuster trade front. The team made a quiet swap of two prospects, both of whom keep our roster full of the most popular hockey names. Read all about it here: www.oregonlive.com/hawks.

Crosby's down, so are the Pens: Duh. I missed it, but apparently the Boston Bruins pulled out their signature move and scored four goals in the third period within mere seconds or minutes of each other, to defeat the Penguins 4 - 2.

So, no national title for Oregon, no win for the Pens, no blockbuster trades. But there is this: On Central Scouting mid-term rankings for the 2011 Entry Draft, four Portland Winterhawks are sitting pretty: Sven Bartschi (#6), Ty Rattie (#11), Joe Morrow (#16), Tyler Wotherspoon (#33). A beacon of hope on a sub-zero Monday, in which we are battening down the hatches for a snowstorm tomorrow night. Or worse, just in time for game day on Wednesday. This happened last year, and the game started nearly three hours late and I ended up staying at a nearby hotel. Stay tuned.

Tonight's mini moral of the story: The problem with luck is it always runs out, as it did for the Pens and for the Ducks. Or, you can do as the Winterhawks did this weekend and make your own luck. And if that luck comes courtesy of the five players who have returned from international tournaments, so be it. Whatever it was, they racked up back-to-back victories against Seattle and Everett this weekend, so I say carry on, boys. I'm already in the midst of paying for my playoff tickets, and I fully expect a return on my investment.