Northeastern women’s ice hockey team advances to Frozen Four in quest for national title
“They know how good they are, they know what they can achieve,” said Northeastern’s women’s hockey coach Dave Flint ahead of NCAA Semifinals.
Northeastern University’s women’s ice hockey team will continue its chase for the national championship as the Huskies again head to the NCAA’s Frozen Four on Friday.
It is the fourth time in six years that the Northeastern women have advanced to the NCAA Semifinals. The No. 5-ranked Huskies defeated the No. 4-ranked University of Minnesota Gophers 4-2 on Saturday. Northeastern will face the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, who defeated Yale 6-1 in the quarterfinals to secure a spot in the final four for the sixth consecutive year.
Dave Flint, Northeastern’s women’s hockey coach, said the team put in a great effort to get the win and earn a trip to this year’s Frozen Four. The semifinal victory over Minnesota (34-4-0) was “special” and ranked as one of the biggest wins he’s been a part of over his 18 years behind the bench at Northeastern.
“Obviously, we’re very excited for our group,” Flint said. “This team throughout the years has a ton of resiliency and dealt with a lot of challenges.”
In dominant fashion, the Huskies got off to a flying start against Minnesota, scoring three goals in the first period. Sophomore forward Éloïse Caron scored the first goal just five minutes in, with subsequent goals from freshman Stryker Zablocki, who was named Hockey East Player of the Year this season, and senior Mia Langlois. Sophomore forward Morgan Jackson scored the fourth and final goal for the Huskies in the second period.
Minnesota tried to mount a comeback in the third period, scoring two goals before the Huskies put a stop to the run. Sophomore goaltender Lisa Jönsson anchored the Huskies in net, finishing the night with 45 saves.
Jönsson, who was named Hockey East Stop It Goaltending Goaltender of the Month for February, spoke glowingly of her teammates after the team’s win over Minnesota.
The Huskies have enjoyed a strong 2025-26 campaign, compiling a 29-8-1 overall record and a dominant 21-2-1 mark in Hockey East while consistently ranking among the nation’s top programs.
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The women’s team captured an unprecedented six straight conference tournament titles from 2018-2023, with multiple regular season crowns during that stretch. The Huskies made the NCAA tournament seven times since 2016, reaching the Frozen Four in 2021, 2022 and 2023 — in addition to 2026 — and runner-up finish in 2021.
The quarterfinal win comes just a week after the Huskies narrowly lost to University of Connecticut in double overtime in the Hockey East Women’s Championship. Northeastern entered the championship game as the top seed in Hockey East competition, making its 10th straight appearance while chasing a seventh crown.
Despite the loss, Flint said the Huskies were “exceptional” at putting the disappointment behind them to focus on the clash with Minnesota. He praised the team’s focus and composure, saying he was “proud” of how the Huskies handled the last couple of weeks.
“They know how good they are, they know what they can achieve,” he said.
The semifinal game against Ohio State is set for 4 p.m. ET Friday, March 20, at Penn State’s Pegula Ice Arena. The winner will advance to the national championship game, which will be played at 4 p.m. ET Sunday, March 22.
