Spartans' Howard Has Emerged as Nation's Best Player
The No. 2 Michigan State Spartans (20-3-3) possess one of, if not the best player in the college hockey this season as junior forward Isaac Howard continues to dominate each and every opponent he faces. He is a strong candidate for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the best player in the nation.
Through 26 games this season, Howard is the first player in the nation to reach 20 goals, scoring two against the No. 3 Minnesota Gophers last weekend. He also holds the most points in the nation with 39, dishing out 19 assists. Howard is something special, and the Spartans are lucky to have him.
The consistent scoring and production have been Howard's greatest asset as he also leads the nation in points per game at 1.50. He has four assists and two goals in his last three contests, all against top 10 teams. The Minnesota-Duluth transfer has been the catalyst to the Spartans' immense success.
Just over two weeks ago, Howard had a career-night in a Spartan jersey, earning five total points with four goals and one assist against Penn State. There are very few players in the nation that are able to post four goals while adding an assist to their stat sheet in one 60-minute contest.
As the latter stretch of the seasons draws closer, Howard has been listed as one of the initial nominees for the Hobey Baker Award alongside his teammate and goaltender, sophomore Trey Augustine. It has not been won by a Spartan since goaltender Ryan Miller did it back in 2001.
One thing is certain, the Tampa Bay Lightning will be getting one heck of a skater and scorer once Howard's collegiate career is over. He was drafted by the Lightning, 31st overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He will only improve and grow in East Lansing before moving onto the next level.
For the output that Howard has had this season, there is no surprise the Spartans are one of the top teams in the country. The final eight games of the regular season will set this team up for their Big Ten championship run and national title aspirations with Howard being at the forefront of it all.
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