Spartans dominate at 12-4, featuring future stars Martone and Augustine. International duty looms, testing depth and opportunity for rising role players.
Christmas break: when homework disappears and pajamas become formalwear.
For Michigan State Hockey, December has meant trading time on the ice for schoolwork for time on the ice purely for pleasure. With two weeks remaining before the second half of the season begins, let’s take a look at some key observations from the Spartans’ first half before a potential second-half surge.
Before hopping aboard with the ghosts of Christmas present and future, we have to start with the ghost of Christmas past.
Ghost of Christmas Past
The Spartans head into Christmas break with a 12–4 record, good enough to be ranked third in the nation—behind two of the three teams that managed to beat them.
Michigan State split a home-and-home series with top-ranked Michigan, with both teams winning on the road. Prior to that, the Spartans were swept at home by second-ranked Wisconsin. Their first loss of the season came as a surprise opener against Colgate.
Despite those four blemishes, the Spartans’ résumé is stacked with quality wins. Highlights include one win over Michigan, a two-game sweep of then-No. 3 Penn State, and an impressive road sweep of then-No. 1 Boston University.
Ghost of Christmas Future
Looking ahead, Michigan State will take part in the Great Lakes Invitational, opening against in-state foe Ferris State before facing either Michigan Tech or Miami (OH).
At the same time, several Spartans will be in Minnesota preparing for the 2026 World Junior Hockey Championship—a tournament the United States has won each of the past two years and three of the last five.
Some key Spartans will miss the Great Lakes Invitational due to World Juniors duties:
- Porter Martone, a freshman winger, has been selected to Team Canada. The sixth overall pick by the Philadelphia Flyers, the 6-foot-3, 208-pound forward from Peterborough, Ontario has already posted 11 goals and nine assists in 16 games.
- Ryker Lee and Shane Vansaghi will also be competing for roster spots. Vansaghi, a product of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, has worn the red, white, and blue before but has yet to appear in a World Juniors. Lee, a first-round NHL draft pick, will get his first chance to represent his country.
Their absence opens the door for role players to get extended looks during the invitational.
Ghost of Christmas Present
The present has been a gift in itself.
Watching Porter Martone dominate opponents on a nightly basis has been a joy—not just for Spartan fans, but for college hockey as a whole. There’s a reason he’s expected to be a top producer for Team Canada at the World Juniors. Martone leads Michigan State with 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) and looks every bit like a future star.
Trey Augustine continues to be an absolute beast between the pipes. Outside of occasional defensive lapses in front of him, he has been lights-out nearly every night. It’s easy to see why the Red Wings invested a first-round pick in him—and while Spartan fans will savor every remaining moment, his future in Detroit feels inevitable.
At their best, the Spartans look like the best team in college hockey. With that, however, come lofty expectations. In each of their four losses, Michigan State looked uncharacteristically out of sync, which only magnified the reaction.
The upcoming stretch—especially the Great Lakes Invitational—will be fascinating. Role players will have chances to step up, while the stars get an opportunity to shine on the international stage against the next generation of NHL talent.
Michigan State sits at 12–4 as winter break rolls on—and the second half awaits.