The Colorado Avalanche: News from around the NHL - January 30th, 2014

A member of the Miracle team gave an interview about Russia vs USA.

He believes this year’s contest between the U.S. and Russia will have huge implications for each country’s medal hopes, but the U.S. won’t be under the same scrutiny as Russia considering how they have failed to medal since 2002, when they won the bronze medal.

"Their country expects them to perform and to win because they’re a talented hockey team that’s underachieved in the last few Olympics," Eruzione said in a phone interview. "I don’t think there will be as much pressure on them [the U.S.] as there clearly is on the Russians to win in their own backyard."

Russia’s roster is loaded with talent, and led by perhaps the best player in the world. Washington Capitals right wing Alexander Ovechkin continues to be the best goal scorer in the NHL, and is on pace to finish with 60 goals in 2013-2014. The 28-year-old has 38 goals this season, while no other player in the league has 30.

Brian Rafalski has official re-retired.

The puck-moving defenseman retired after the 2010-11 season, citing knee and back injuries, but got the itch again after playing in the Winter Classic alumni game at Comerica Park a month ago. Within two weeks, Rafalski, 40, had signed with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. The tryout made sense given his family had settled in Fort Myers, Fla., and he was a youth coach for the junior Everblades.

The comeback ended after three games, however, as Rafalski re-retired today. He didn’t look out of place with the Everblades and picked up an assist, but the pain in his back was too unbearable. He sat out a week between his first and second game and, after he played two in a row Jan. 17 and 18, the back continued to act up. He told reporters today he’s "done."

Penn State's David Glen gets a sticktap from me. He'll miss a few games because he is dontaing marrow to someone he has never met.

In our daily lives we all try to find little ways to help the people we know. But what if you had the chance to save the life of a complete stranger? Men's hockey assistant captain David Glen was presented that opportunity and the 21 year-old sophomore jumped at it.

"Last year, Drew Roper's mom was looking for a bone marrow match, so our whole team went and got swabbed," said Glen. "Unfortunately none of us were a match, but they keep you in their database. I got a call last spring telling me that I might be a match for someone else."

The 2012-13 season had ended and Glen was among a pool of people who gave blood to find out which one would be the best match for the recipient. It wasn't until this fall, however, that Glen actually found out he was the best match for an unknown recipient to donate by the Be The Match registry.

Hockey Canada has admitted that they have no back-up plan if the NHL decides to keep the players home for their safety.

Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson says there’s no Plan B if the NHL decides to pull its players out of the Sochi Olympics because of security concerns.

Nicholson made the comments Wednesday after announcing the 2014 recipients of the Order of Hockey in Canada.

“Our contingency plan would be everyone around this room today,” he said while speaking to reporters at Rogers Arena. “We have none.”