Quick Strikes for Saturday, December 27

• Yesterday marked the beginning of the IIHF 2015 World Junior Championships. The Tampa Bay Lightning has three prospects competing for their respective countries in this year’s tournament. [Tampa Bay Lightning]
• Here is the broadcast schedule for the WJCs, courtesy of NHL Network. [NHL.com]
• Defending Big D posted an in-depth preview for the tournament and took a look at all 10 teams competing this year. [Defending Big D]
• With the Bolts ups and downs so far this season, comparisons to the 2004 Stanley Cup-winning team have begun to pop up. That team hit a similar skid in late 2003 and managed to pull out of it. The rest is history. [Tampa Tribune]
• Alex Killorn won the internet on Thursday with his Christmas greeting to Twitter:
  

  Merry Christmas everyone! #loydchristmas pic.twitter.com/x16l9bGm1h

  — Alex Killorn (@Akillorn19) December 25, 2014

• Sad news to report this morning, as Syracuse Crunch head coach Rob Zettler’s father passed away over the holiday break due to an illness. Zettler will miss all three Crunch games this weekend. [Syracuse.com]
• Play continues, though, and the Syracuse Crunch put up another win via an overtime tally by Vladislav Namestnikov! That’s 10-in-aa-row! [Syracuse Crunch]
• You want a true sign the holiday break is over? Mumps news! Steve Downie and Thomas Greiss of the Pittsburgh Penguins have tested positive for the virus. [Pittsburgh Penguins]
• …as has Patrik Elias. [NH.com]
• The New Jersey Devils fired head coach Pete DeBoer yesterday. The Devils currently sit 7^th in the Metropolitan Division and 14^th in the Eastern Conference. [In Lou We Trust]
• Reportedly, former Ottawa Senators head coach Paul MacLean, fired just a few weeks ago, will replace DeBoer. [The Score]
• Once again, the new AHL overtime rules have begun to generate buzz among NHL fans. American Hockey League overtime is seven minutes long, with 4-on-4 for the first three minutes. After the next whistle after that, the format switches to 3-on-3. [Yahoo! Sports]
• Julius Hudacek, a goalie in the Swedish Hockey League, is at it again with another crazy post-game celebration. This time, he dressed up as Santa Claus. [gfycat]

When will the Edmonton Oilers be a better franchise?