The Coast-to-Coast: Mason McDonald's knee injury a huge blow to Islanders

Combing all corners of the country and the blogosphere for your junior hockey headlines ...

WHL

The state of Washington passed a bill that would see players in the Western Hockey League deemed as non-employees. The vote passed 5-2, but that doesn't mean the legal wrangling is over. (KVEW TV)

BTN's Kelly Friesen takes a look at how the WHL playoffs are shaping up thus far. (Buzzing The Net)

The Brandon Wheat Kings know they're in a battle going up against the defending Memorial Cup champions from Edmonton. (Brandon Sun)

Have the Edmonton Oil Kings finally cracked under the pressure of defending their title? Or have the created a new, awesome way to play ping pong? Mad props to Brandon Baddock who used a broom as his weapon of choice. (Edmonton Journal)

Calgary goalie Mack Shields did his best to stymie the Kootenay Ice providing a nice 1-2 punch with fellow netminder Brendan Burke. Says Hitmen captain Kenton Helgesen: "We’ve got lots of confidence in both goaltenders. Whoever’s in, they give us a good shot to win the game.” (Calgary Herald)

The big 11-game road trip the Calgary Hitment went on before the start of the playoffs might have been a blessing in disguise despite a bus full of weary travellers. (Calgary Sun)

Goalie Ryan Gilchrist is eager to realize his potential with the Seattle Thunderbirds. (ESPN Seattle)

Inexperience isn't a big problem for the Regina Pats. (CJME)

It's a tough balance for players when it comes to handling school and the pressures of hockey. (Global)

OHL

During the playoff game in Sarnia the other night, a fan walked into the Erie Otters dressing room during the first intermission and asked Connor McDavid for an autograph. Security anyone!?!?! (Erie Times-News)

The Barrie Colts power play is killing the Belleville Bulls. (Belleville Intelligencer)

The Knights have all the big names on their roster - Max Domi, Mitchell Marner, Matt Rupert - so how can the Kitchener Rangers compete and get back in the series? (Waterloo Region Record)

And speaking of the Kitchener Rangers... head coach Troy Smith complaining about diving is something every coach in the league has done at one time or another. (London Free Press)

A depleted lineup is going to make things even tougher for the Peterborough Petes who are already down in their series with the Oshawa Generals. (Peterborough Examiner)

The Kingston Frontenacs are in trouble against the North Bay Battalion and if they have any hope of salvaging the series they'll have to win Game 3. (Kingston Whig Standard)

The Soo Greyhounds have a strangle hold on the Saginaw Spirit and it doesn't look like they're going to let up any time soon. (Sault Star)

When you're one of the four teams that miss the league's playoffs, you spend a lot of time obsessing over the draft. (Sudbury Star)

QMJHL

The Charlottetown Islanders have taken the lead in their series with the Sherbrooke Phoenix in another high scoring game. (The Canadian Press)

During last night's game starter Mason McDonald went down with a knee injury which meant back-up Daryl MacCallum had to replace him some five minutes into the game. MacCallum held the fort: "I just knew I had to do whatever it takes to keep that puck out for my team." (Journal Pioneer)

And it looks like bad news for the Islanders:

A good read from BTN's Mike Sanderson on Moncton's Alex Dubeau. The netminder is upset at being run constantly by the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and says that's what happens when Yanick Jean is coaching. Says Dubeau of being hit: "It’s Yanick Jean. Everyone knows in the league he’s prone to doing that. I was waiting for it, honestly." (Buzzing The Net)

The old Halifax Forum will be home for the Mooseheads thank to a scheduling conflict with the Metro Centre. (Chronicle Herald)

Ross Johnston of the Charlottetown Islanders has signed a three-year entry level contract with the New York Islanders. (NHL)