Hype for March 04, 2010

So much for another big hockey boost. The NHL trade deadline came and went with a thud instead of a bang.

Not that anyone expected Wednesday's deadline to come anywhere close to the excitement of Canada's Olympic gold medal win over the United States three days earlier, but it didn't even generate the buzz of previous trading days that created the wow factor.

It did, however, produce a couple of records.

Defenceman Martin Skoula is off to his second team in less than 24 hours, as the Toronto Maple Leafs  flipped him to the New Jersey Devils for a fifth-round selection in this year's NHL Entry Draft.

The Leafs had acquired Skoula in a three-player deal executed Tuesday, the eve of the NHL's trade deadline. Toronto picked up Skoula and 21-year-old forward Luca Caputi for winger Alexi Ponikarovsky.

hen Peter Mueller's looping shot from the blue-line somehow eluded Jonas Hiller, the Colorado Avalanche's newest forward had trouble believing he could celebrate.

For a guy who felt he hadn't got a bounce all season in Phoenix, Mueller's goal was a breakthrough - and a key reason Colorado was able to snap the longest home winning streak in the Ducks' history.

Matt Duchene scored the go-ahead goal with 11:51 to play, Chris Stewart had a goal and two assists, and the Avalanche ended the Ducks' 11-game home roll with a 4-3 victory Wednesday night.

Niklas Backstrom played second fiddle to Mikka Kiprusoff for Finland at the Winter Games, but the Wild netminder took centre stage on Wednesday night.

Matched up against his countryman, Backstrom made 29 saves for his second shutout and Mikko Koivu and Andrew Brunette each had a goal and an assist as the Minnesota Wild downed the Calgary Flames 4-0.