Edmonton Oil Kings reach the top at break: Wednesday’s coast-to-coast

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

World junior

Our own Sunaya Sapurji talks all things Team Canada. (The Pipeline Show)

Team Canada coach Steve Spott has consulted with "sleep doctors" to help his players adapt to the 10- to 14-hour time change from Canada to Ufa. (Postmedia News)

You might get sick of hearing "The Reason" before the world junior championship even begins. (TSN)

The estimable Eric Duhatschek with some Team Canada thoughts. (Globe & Mail)

Canada's Boone Jenner probably did not need to be asked about being ejected for spearing in the 2012 semifinal loss to Russia, but you knew he would get asked about it. (durhamregion.com)

Team USA has the most size in ... goal? (Sports Illustrated)

Corey Pronman rates the Yanks as a darkhorse medal candidate. (ESPN, paywall)

Get to know Team USA's Jon Gillies, the Calgary Flames goaltending prospect who could push John Gibson to be the Americans' starter. (The Pipeline Show)

Chris Lund quaffed a few Koff and provided a primer on Team Finland. (The Score)

Somewhat related to the world junior: Jack Todd's out-standing Gary Bettman takedown. (Montreal Gazette)

WHL

The defending champion Edmonton Oil Kings have finally nabbed first place in the Eastern Conference. It only took until the final game before Christmas. (Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal)

Pittsburgh Penguins first-rounder Derrick Pouliot did not finish the game but his Portland Winterhawks finished the first half by beating Spokane. (Spokane Spokesman-Review)

Why Kelowna Rockets fans might want to use the hash tag #SecondPeriodProblems when league play resumes on Dec. 27. (Regan's Rant)

Brandon Wheat Kings leading scorer Alessio Bertaggia has signed on with Switzerland's EV Zug for next season, when he will be 20. (Brandon Sun, paywall)

Young Beau McCue struck with two timely goals for Tri-City on Tuesday, sorry for the tongue-twister. (Tri-City Herald)

Alan Caldwell makes sense of the Mac's midget tournament for fans who want an early look at next season's Dub rookie class. (Small Thoughts at Large)

OHL

And then there were two London Knights away at the world junior: draft-year defenceman Nikita Zadorov has been cut by Team Russia. (London Free Press)

The Windsor Spitfires are on pace for a team record low 181 goals. Says GM Warren Rychel: "We just need secondary scoring and it will come." (Windsor Star)

The big league lockout has turned off the league's hotstove, in the view of Spits coach Bob Boughner: "Even the teams that are going for it aren’t making any moves." (Sault Star)

Who would look good in a London uniform after the Jan. 10 trade deadline? (London Free Press)

Do people realize the Sudbury Wolves were the Central's hottest team going into the break? (Sudbury Star)

QMJHL

Being pegged as the top NHL draft prospect in his peer group has not affected Nathan MacKinnon's play in Halifax, says Dan Marr of NHL Central Scouting. (The Pipeline Show)

The Quebec Remparts, as you know, will have Mikhail Grigorenko for the duration whether there is a NHL season. (Le Soleil)

Will the Victoriaville Tigres go all out to be a contender? (Le Nouvelliste)

The Saint John Sea Dogs will try to forge on this week without suspended star Jonathan Huberdeau; wait, he would not have been there in the first place. (Station Nation)

The year after hosting the MasterCard Memorial Cup is often rough, but the Shawinigan Cataractes have taken it to new depths. (Le Nouvelliste)

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Contact him at neatesager@yahoo.ca and follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.