Led by Jönsson and a stout defense, the red-hot Huskies are chasing their third straight Beanpot title and 20th overall. Northeastern plays BC in a semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, at Matthews Arena.
Every star athlete has that one breakthrough moment — the game, play or performance that launches them into the spotlight and fuels their confidence.
For Northeastern University women’s hockey goalie Lisa Jönsson, that moment came at the 2022 U18 World Championships in Madison, Wisconsin.
Playing for Sweden, Jönsson stopped 53 of 56 shots in a 3-1 tourney-opening loss to Canada, the eventual gold medalists.
A Stockholm native, it was her first trip to the U.S. and first time representing her country.
“It was a really good opportunity for me,” says Jönsson, one of the biggest surprises in college hockey this season. “I had never played on a national team before. That game helped me realize that, ‘Oh, I can actually play at a really high level. I am good enough.’”
Two days later, Jönsson helped Sweden beat Finland, 3-2.
“That was a huge win because they are our biggest rival,” she says.
Fast-forward two-plus years and Jönsson is being introduced to some new rivals — Boston College, Boston University and Harvard.
On Tuesday, Jan. 14, the teams will compete in the semifinals of 46th Women’s Beanpot at Matthews Arena on Northeastern’s Boston campus.
BU (12-5-1) will face Harvard (2-11-2) at 4:30 p.m., followed by Northeastern vs. BC at 7:30. Northeastern Global News will provide live updates of what’s likely to be the final Beanpot game at the 115-year-old former Boston Arena.
The Huskies will be chasing their third straight Beanpot title and 20th overall. Last year, Northeastern defeated Havard, 1-0, in the semifinals before beating BU, 2-1, in overtime before 10,633 fans at TD Garden — a record for women’s hockey in New England.
Jönsson and her mom followed that tournament on social media.
“We were like, ‘Wow, they are playing at TD Garden.’ It’s such a huge thing,” she says. “And then we saw there were so many people and realized just how big it was for Northeastern as a school and Boston as a city.
“It’s a privilege to be able to compete in it,” Jönsson says.
Gwyneth Philips won the Bertagna Award the past two years as the Beanpot’s most outstanding goaltender.
Like her predecessor, Jönsson leads the nation in most statistical categories. She’s allowed the fewest goals (11), has the lowest goals-against average (1.01) and the best save percentage (.959).
No other freshman in NCAA Division 1 even cracks the top 10.
“Our team gets fired up because we have the best fans in women’s college hockey,” Flint says. “And for our players, that’s what we’re gonna need on Tuesday to be successful. We need the fans behind us. They’re a big part and they’re critical to our success.”Dave Flint, Northeastern women’s hockey coach
“Our team gets fired up because we have the best fans in women’s college hockey,” Flint says. “And for our players, that’s what we’re gonna need on Tuesday to be successful. We need the fans behind us. They’re a big part and they’re critical to our success.”
Jönsson’s 9-2 record includes five shutouts, including three in consecutive weekend sweeps of Connecticut and Maine.
All the more remarkable, considering her modest expectations entering the season.
“I wasn’t expecting to play as a freshman,” Jönsson says. “My focus coming in was to practice as much as I could, show off what I was able to do, and hopefully get a game.”
She attributes much of her development to Northeastern head coach Dave Flint, a former college goalie himself. Among other things, Jönsson has worked on her quickness, lateral movement and angles on longer shots from the blue line.
“He has been giving me great advice about how to grow my game,” she says.
Flint calls Jönsson — 6 feet tall and athletic — one of the most coachable players he’s ever had. That’s saying a lot coming from someone with over 400 wins in 20 seasons behind the bench.
“When I give her something to work on, she doesn’t ever question it,” Flint says. “She just does it. And she usually picks it up really quick and adds it to her game.
“And then on top of that, when she sees the benefit, she’s super appreciative,” he says. “She appreciates the opportunity that she has.”
Northeastern assistant coach Lindsay Berman was in Wisconsin for Jönsson’s 53-save performance against Canada. Berman was also there for Sweden’s 3-2 semifinal loss to the U.S.
Jönsson made 50 saves in the near upset.
“She almost stole a game from the U.S., almost stole a game from Canada where the U.S. and Canada were much better than Sweden,” Flint says.
He made recruiting Jönsson a top priority — which she genuinely appreciated.
“I didn’t want to go to a team that said, ‘You’re fine, you’re OK, come here,’” she says. “I wanted a team that trusted me and believed in me. And that’s what I got from coach Flint.”
Ultimately, Jönsson was looking for a school with elite hockey — and academics.
“I wanted the best of both worlds,” she says. “Northeastern caught my eye because of the co-op program, but also because it’s a great school and they have a lot of applications every year.”
Her official recruiting visit sealed the deal. That day included breakfast with assistant captain Katy Knoll — now a member of the PWHL’s Minnesota Frost — and lunch with Northeastern legend Alina Mueller, a two-time Olympian and current star for the PWHL’s Boston Fleet.
“It was just perfect,” Jönsson says. “I loved the campus. I like being in a big city, but I still wanted the feeling of being on a campus.”
On the ice, Northeastern has been a great fit, as well.
Jönsson has faced more than 30 shots only three times. That’s not by accident. Northeastern is always among the NCAA leaders in defense and blocked shots.
In fact, one of the Huskies’ best blueliners is Jönsson’s former U18 Swedish teammate Tuva Kandell.
“I have never played for a team like this before, if I’m being honest,” Jönsson says. “In one of my first games, they had 22 blocked shots in front of me. I just feel like the whole team really wants to help me. They want to be there. They’re blocking shots and I’ve just never seen a team with that mentality. I appreciate it so much.”
Jönsson was first introduced to hockey at age 3 by her mom, Åsa Edlund Jönsson, a veteran journalist and current secretary general of the Swedish Olympic Committee.
Jönsson’s parents haven’t seen her play in person this season, but they stream every game back home — despite the six-hour time difference.
“My mom is staying up until 3 a.m.,” she says.
Jönsson lists her hockey idols as Henrik Lundquist, who played 15 seasons for the NHL’s New York Rangers, and Minatsu Murase, the goalie for Sweden’s women’s team at the 2018 Olympics.
As for the Beanpot, Jönsson is looking forward to avenging her only two losses of her college career — BU on Oct. 12 and BC on Nov. 30. The Eagles are ranked seventh nationally, the Terriers ninth.
Meanwhile, the 11th-ranked Huskies have won four straight games and eight of their last nine.
“We know we can beat them,” Jönsson says. “I feel like we’re on a roll right now with the goal scoring and I feel like that’s what we need to win.”
Flint says the home crowd — the famously rowdy DogHouse student section — always gives his team a boost.