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Home-Ice Production
Will Zellers and other Minnesota-connected players shine in the preliminary round of the WJC.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Will Zellers was listed on Team USA’s fourth line ahead of the third preliminary-round game against Slovakia. He certainly has the red-hot stick right now, going three-for-three in game-winning goals at the World Junior Championship.
Zellers has four goals and two assists in the first three games of round-robin play at the 50th annual World Junior Championship, playing in his home state at Grand Casino Arena.
“It’s so cool to be in this position now and know that I’ve always dreamed of playing in this tournament,” Zellers said, following USA’s 6-5 win over Slovakia in the preliminary round Monday. “Growing up, I wanted to play in the World Juniors before I wanted to play in the Olympics.
“That’s how big this tournament, how much it means to us. It’s just so special to be on this team, especially, it’s so much fun having it in Minnesota, too.”
Zellers, a Maple Grove native, takes a little extra pride in the prestigious tournament not only being held in the United States but also only minutes from where he grew up. Zellers is one of a few USA players with Minnesota connections, whether it be their home state or where they’re playing college hockey. He added that they’re feeding off the atmosphere and hometown support.
He noticed a kid during warm-ups who was wearing a Maple Grove sweatshirt, and of course he also has plenty of family and friends around supporting him.
“It’s so special to know you’re backed by kids that you were in their shoes not too long ago,” Zellers said. “It for sure motivates us and adds fuel to the fire and gives us for sure an extra step having 20,000 people have our backs.”
USA opened the tournament with a 6-3 win over Germany, followed by a 2-1 win over Switzerland the next night.
Against Slovakia, USA found itself in a 2-0 hole after the first period after an even-strength and power-play goal 2:22 apart. USA had no choice but to climb out of it in the final two periods, and they started with a four-goal second period.
Brendan McMorrow celebrates his goal against Slovakia to make it a one-goal game on Dec. 29, 2025 at Grand Casino Arena. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)
Zellers’ linemate Brendan McMorrow slid a perfect pass over to AJ Spellacy off a two-on-one rush. Spellacy’s tap-in goal came shorthanded to get USA on the board just 1 minute, 50 seconds into the second period. McMorrow added his own goal to cut into the deficit again, for a 3-2 game.
McMorrow is from Lakeville, Minn., noting that he grew up “30 minutes down the road.” He has a lot of family attending the tournament, and it’s been fun to play in front of them, he added. USA coach Bob Motzko noted the Minnesota support from over the weekend, saying “the whole city of Lakeville was here.”
“I think in that first game, we came out and we were all just looking around just smiling, how cool it was. Towels waving and stuff,” McMorrow said. “With the crowd behind us, it definitely boosts us a little bit. And it’s been really fun so far to have this tournament in Minnesota, in our country.”
With the game tied 4-4 through two periods, USA got off to a fast start in the third which proved to be the difference. James Hagens put them up 5-4 only 18 seconds into the period. Then Zellers scored a power-play goal within the first five minutes for insurance that turned out to be a very important tally.
He got a pass from Brodie Ziemer, USA’s captain from Chaska, Minn. who plays college hockey for the Minnesota Gophers, on the backdoor. Zellers was left alone, and he didn’t miss his shot.
“Zellers gets another one,” Motzko said. “I heard it was his third game-winner already. Those greasy goals, he finds a way to get them.”
Will Zellers winds up to shoot the puck past Slovakia defenders on Dec. 29, 2025 at Grand Casino Arena. (MHM Photo / Rick Olson)
Zellers is just the latest Maple Grove product to shine at the WJC. He watched Brock Faber, current Minnesota defenseman, play in the 2021 and 2022 tournaments, winning gold in 2021. Last year, Zellers saw his friend and Maple Grove native and defenseman Colin Ralph win the gold medal at the WJC. Zellers and Ralph grew up together, and both played at Shattuck-St. Mary’s.
Contributing to his team on this level, on the big stage of the WJC is something Zellers said his 10-year-old self probably wouldn’t think is real and would be “freaking out a little bit.”
“You never know at that age how far you’re going to go in hockey,” Zellers said.
He added that he wasn’t the best in hockey at that age, wasn’t on the top teams, making the position he’s in now even more special.
His scoring spree started this fall at the University of North Dakota, where he’s tallied 10 goals and 15 points in 18 games so far as a freshman. Not much has changed with his game, Zellers said, but he feels like the biggest thing is he has more confidence. More production on the ice certainly helps confidence rise, too.
“Every player in this tournament is so good,” Zellers said. “I feel like one of the biggest things that separates a good player form a great player is just the confidence that you get from playing and the confidence that you get from coaches.
“I feel like once you start questioning yourself, that’s when things go south, so just making sure I know that I can pay here and I belong here.”
