Norway Goalie Ena Nystrøm’s Career Goals: 'Definitely The Olympics And The PWHL'

Before this year, Norway’s last win in the top division of the IIHF Women’s World Championship was in 1994, 7-4 over Switzerland in a consolation-round game in Lake Placid, N.Y. On Sunday, despite being outshot 45-21, Norway beat Hungary 3-0 thanks to the heroic netminding of Ena Nystrøm.

“I felt great,” Nystrøm said after the game. “I was seeing the puck well today, and also, I think (my teammates) did a really good job in front of me, picking up sticks and allowing shots in the right lanes. I think we did a really good job as a team.”

“I think she’s one of the better goalies in the tournament,” said Norwegian coach André Lysenstøen. “She was a little bit unlucky yesterday (in a 5-2 loss to Germany) and we had a talk, and we really felt she’d bounce back today. She’s our backbone and she gives us a chance to win every game.”

With one win in three games and one game remaining against undefeated Sweden, Norway’s chances of making the quarterfinals and avoiding relegation aren’t great, but they do exist. With Nystrøm in net, however, the Norwegians feel that it’s possible.

Nystrøm plays in the SDHL, so she’ll be facing a Swedish team that includes two of Brynäs teammates and most of the rest of the roster are opponents. When the two teams met in February in Olympic qualifying, the Swedes outshot Norway 54-11 but won only 3-0, thanks to Nystrøm.

“It’ll be a fun game,” she said. “It’s a huge game for us – we’re still in the race.”

Three games in, and Hungary has yet to register a goal at the 2025 Women’s World Championships. Their lack of scoring certainly isn’t for a lack of trying; the team pumped 46 shots on net against Norway on Sunday morning, but were denied time and again by the heroics of goaltender Ena Nystrøm and, more than once, by their own ineptitude. They missed empty net opportunities, fanned on sure shots, and when they did get pucks on Nystrøm, she absorbed many of them into her belly. Her positioning was solid, and the Hungarians did not do enough to disrupt her view of the puck.

thehockeynews.comNorway’s Defense Leads Nation To First Win, Nystrøm Records 46 Save ShutoutThree games in, and Hungary has yet to register a goal at the 2025 Women’s World Championships. Their lack of scoring certainly isn’t for a lack of trying; the team pumped 46 shots on net against Norway on Sunday morning, but were denied time and again by the heroics of goaltender Ena Nystrøm and, more than once, by their own ineptitude. They missed empty net opportunities, fanned on sure shots, and when they did get pucks on Nystrøm, she absorbed many of them into her belly. Her positioning was solid, and the Hungarians did not do enough to disrupt her view of the puck.

In her first season as a pro, Nystrøm was a starting goalie, playing in 29 of Brynäs’ 35 regular-season games and all nine playoff games. Brynäs finished fourth in the 10-team league, reaching the semifinals and pushing eventual-champion Frölunda to the limit in that series.

“It was definitely a transition,” Nystrøm said about her rookie season. “I think I got better as the season went on, and I think that’s the nature of going from college hockey to pro hockey – it’s a little different – so I’m happy with the way the season went.”

As for career goals, Nystrøm, who turns 25 in late April, mentioned the Olympics and the PWHL. While she’ll have to wait until at least 2030 for the Olympics as Norway did not qualify for next year, the PWHL could happen as early as 2026-27. As it stands now, she’s signed for another season with Brynäs.

“I’ve talked to some of the scouts and staff members in the PWHL that she deserves a spot there,” said Lysenstøen. “She had a good season in Sweden and I think after she gets some more seasoning there, she could be one of the top goaltenders in the world.”

“I want to develop as much as I can before I get there but I definitely want to get over there soon,” said Nystrøm. “We’ll see when that happens, but now, I’m very comfortable in Brynäs, I love being there and I want to bring a championship home to Gävle.”

Kristýna Kaltounková is playing in her first IIHF Women’s World
Championship and she’s added a goal-scoring element that has
sometimes been lacking on the Czech women’s national team. Through
three games, she has scored two of the team’s five goals and her
rocket from the point on the power play late in Saturday’s game
against Finland got everyone’s attention.

thehockeynews.comKristýna Kaltounková: 'My Priority Was Getting Back With The Team Once I Was 100% Ready'Kristýna Kaltounková is playing in her first IIHF Women’s World Championship and she’s added a goal-scoring element that has sometimes been lacking on the Czech women’s national team. Through three games, she has scored two of the team’s five goals and her rocket from the point on the power play late in Saturday’s game against Finland got everyone’s attention.