Michigan State Spartans Take the World Junior Hockey Championship Stage

One of the best tournaments in the hockey world kicked off yesterday, and three Michigan State Spartans took center stage representing two of the ten nations competing.

Few things pair better than winter weather and ice hockey. Whether it’s a classic snowy wonderland, a Barenaked Ladies–style “Green Christmas,” or an ice storm leaving broken branches scattered across your yard, one thing remains the same: if you walk down to the lake, it’s likely frozen and ready for skating. The players in this tournament are trading outdoor pond hockey for all-out arena battles in Minnesota.

If you’re unfamiliar with the World Junior Hockey Championship (WJC), first of all—kudos for clicking on this article and reading up on college hockey. The WJC is an annual tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) featuring the world’s best under-20 national teams. It runs from late December into early January and consistently showcases future NHL stars.

With a rich history dating back to 1974 (unofficially) and 1977 (officially), Canada leads all nations with 20 gold medals. The United States has seven, but enters this year on a two-year gold medal streak, defeating Finland last year and Sweden in 2024. The U.S. and Canada have firmly established themselves as annual favorites, splitting the last six gold medals (USA 3, Canada 3). In fact, the U.S., Canada, and Finland have combined to win every gold medal over the past 13 years (USA 5, Canada 5, Finland 3).

Those three teams were the ones to watch heading into the tournament, and day one played out exactly as expected. Finland cruised past Denmark 6–2 (no Spartans participated), while both Canada and the United States opened with wins of their own.

The first Spartan to check in on is Team Canada captain Porter Martone, the lone Michigan State representative for the Canadians. Martone has been Michigan State’s on-ice ringleader this season and continues to cement himself as a future NHL star.

Drafted sixth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2025 NHL Draft, Martone entered the tournament leading MSU with 11 goals and 20 points. He also earned one of hockey’s highest honors—being named captain of Team Canada.

Canada opened tournament play with a 7–5 win over Czechia in the final game of the day. Martone put the finishing touch on the victory, scoring an empty-net goal with just under a minute remaining to seal the win.

Then, in true Spartan fashion—Michigan State currently ranks third nationally in penalty minutes per game—Martone picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. After scoring, he slapped the backside of an opposing player while skating back to the bench, prompting another Czech player to take exception and shove him.

Martone finished the game with:

Canada will be back in action today against Latvia at 4:30 PM EST. Latvia did not play on opening day, meaning they’ll be the fresher team.

Team USA opened its tournament with a 6–3 win over Germany in a physical, competitive matchup. Two Spartans suited up for the Americans, though neither filled the stat sheet.

Ryker Lee logged the heavier workload, skating 14:35 across 15 shifts. Lee did not record a shot on goal and finished with a –1 plus/minus. Notably, Lee played just 62 seconds in the third period, as the Americans entered the final frame protecting a three-goal lead and leaned into a conservative game plan.

Shane Vansaghi saw limited action, skating 5:01 over eight shifts. His ice time was spread unevenly—1:58 in the first period, none in the second, and 3:03 in the third. Vansaghi is not expected to log heavy minutes, but remains ready whenever called upon.

Despite the limited role, Vansaghi recorded Team USA’s lone Spartan shot on goal. He also finished with a –1 plus/minus.

The Americans return to action tonight against Switzerland at 6:00 PM EST.