Windows Key + X is pretty much the one thing that makes Windows 8 tolerable on the desktop and the one thing I would recommend everyone having trouble with Windows 8 learn even if they aren't generally keyboard shortcut users and navigate the resulting menu (the WinKey+X menu) via mouse. I've been using Windows 8 since release and never use the hot corners stuff at all thanks to this menu.
I'm not a fan of the hot corners. If you use a keyboard, you can use the following shortcut to shutdown your PC
WIN KEY + X, U, U