The Colorado Avalanche: News from around the NHL - January 9th, 2014

A win in overtime means that it's a character win for the Avs.

The Avalanche tied the game after Anderson made a spectacular save against Gabriel Landeskog, who had beaten the defense and broken in alone on the goalie. Stastny followed the play and knocked in the rebound.

"A character win for us," Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said. "I liked the play by Landy when he drove that net and then Paul picked up the loose puck. That's what we needed. Landy showed why he's the captain of the team with Paul an assistant captain. They are leaders of this team. They showed great leadership by playing so well at the end of the game."

Liles to take on the Leafs.

Carolina, which acquired Liles from Toronto in a New Year's Day trade for defenceman Tim Gleason and plays host to the Leafs on Thursday, is riding a four-game win streak, three of which have come with Liles in the lineup.

Liles is a plus-3 with two penalty minutes, three hits and five blocked shots.

"It was kind of an up-and-down ride in Toronto the last few years and I'm just excited for the opportunity coming here with this team," the 33-year-old was recently quoted as saying in the Raleigh News & Observer

The Flyers are playing really well on home ice.

The Flyers haven't lost at home since Nov. 7 against New Jersey. They're on their longest home winning streak since they won 11 straight Oct. 27-Dec. 5, 2003. The Flyers have won all 10 in regulation, their longest streak without OT since a 14-game regulation home winning streak from February 10-April 4, 1985. They won the last 14 home games of the regular season before making a run to the Stanley Cup finals.

Steve Mason was again sensational in goal, stopping 19 shots for his 18th win.

Adam Gretz doesn't think role players are needed at the Olympics.

When piecing together something like an Olympic roster, hockey people --  and that includes those that are in the game, those that cover the game, and those that simply watch the game -- love to talk about how the idea is not to put together an All-Star team, but to simply put together "a team."

One that has role players, and has every piece perfectly fit together in a complex puzzle that can only be assembled with the right number of scorers, and grinders, and people that "know their role."

It's like that scene in Miracle when Herb Brooks informs Craig Patrick that he is "not looking for the best players," but "looking for the right players."