The guy between the pipes: Jack Lisson
By Cecil Milligan, Sports Reporter
Goaltenders are often the unsung heroes of a hockey team. As the last line of defense, their performance is tightly bound to the team in front of them, which fosters a perspective on the game that few others share. For freshman goaltender Jack Lisson, that view is centered on the collective.
Hailing from Oakville, Ontario, the rookie has been making an immediate impact. In his previous season before coming to Canisius, he played for the Ontario Hockey Leagues’s (OHL) North Bay Battalion. He put up impressive numbers, with a .913 save percentage in the regular season and an even more impressive .924 in the playoffs.
Making the jump from major junior hockey to the Division I college level requires some adjustment. Lisson reflected on how the transition has been from the OHL to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). “The main difference is just playing against older guys. I think there’s a maturity thing there. The biggest change I’ve noticed is the traffic in front of the net,” said Lisson. This rings true as through every game Lisson has played, he has faced a total of 229 shots.
As a freshman, Lisson is one of the youngest guys on the team. Coming into a college locker room as a rookie can take some getting used to, but Lisson feels as though he clicked instantly. “I think everyone gets along really well, regardless if you’ve been in college for four years or, like myself, your first year. Everyone really gels well, and we do a lot of stuff as a team,” he said.
In the season opener against Ferris State on Oct. 2, Lisson earned his first–ever collegiate start. In a stellar display of skill, the Griffs netminder stopped all 23 shots he faced, securing his first NCAA shutout. Lisson believes the team played a massive role in that outcome. “I wasn’t really thinking about getting results. I was trying to stay in the moment,” he said regarding his thought process during the game. “It’s more of a team stat because we really did a good job of limiting them to not as many chances.”
He underscored his appreciation for the team around him when asked about how he felt about receiving recognition from the team’s conference, Atlantic Hockey America, for his performance. In the first two weeks of the Blue and Gold’s season, he was named Rookie of the Week and Goaltender of the Week. “It’s a team stat. We got to score goals to win. We got to play defense to win. It’s something that comes with the wins, but it’s definitely nice. In the moment, I’m just focused on helping the team win,” added the netminder when asked about his recognition.
Since his debut, Lisson has played in every game for Canisius, whether he was the starting goalie or he came in for relief. This is a rather heavy workload, and one that requires mental conditioning. But what exactly is that mindset? “It’s a thing that, as you start to play more and more, you kind of just understand when you’re playing your best and why you are playing good.”
Clearly, he hasn’t struggled with getting into that mindset, as he currently boasts a solid .921 save percentage through eight games played.
Goalies have a reputation for being particular with their pregame routines and activities, things that help them prepare for getting pucks launched at them an average of thirty times per game — a superstition, rather. “I try to do a lot of visualization, just kind of play the game in my head before it even happens. Things that could go wrong, or even just me making saves,” said Lisson.
His personal philosophy behind his play shone through when reflecting on this. For Lisson, keeping his mindset anchored in enjoyment is the key to his success. “You can’t make the result before the game starts. It’s all about the process of it. Going out there and playing is really important because I’ve been focusing on having fun with it. You play hockey for fun. Just going out there and enjoying it,” said Lisson.
The Golden Griffins get a much needed break this weekend before starting up in–conference play against Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. on Nov. 6–7.
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