Michigan State forward Isaac Howard wins Hobey Baker award as college hockey’s top player

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Michigan State junior forward Isaac Howard won the Hobey Baker award Friday as college hockey’s top player.

The 21-year-old Howard led the nation in averaging 1.41 points per game and became the Spartans’ first player to win the award since goalie Ryan Miller in 2001, and third overall. Howard is from Hudson, Wisconsin, and was selected by Tampa Bay with the 31st pick in the 2022 draft.

Howard finished fifth in the nation this season with 52 points (26 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games while helping lead Michigan State to win the Big Ten regular-season and conference tournament titles.

He won the honor over two other finalists, Denver sophomore defenseman Zeev Buium and Boston College sophomore forward Ryan Leonard, who has already made the jump to the NHL with the Washington Capitals.

Boston College’s Jacob Fowler won the Mike Richter Award as goalie of the year. The sophomore was the only repeat finalist and finished the season ranked third with 25 wins, second with a 1.63 goals-against average and third with a .940 save percentage.

Boston University’s Cole Hutson, who led all freshmen with 46 points (14 goals, 32 assists), won the Tim Taylor rookie of the year honors.

The awards were presented during the NCAA’s Frozen Four championship in St. Louis with Western Michigan (33-7-1) facing Boston University (24-13-2) in the final on Saturday night.

Baker was a football and hockey star for Princeton before serving in the Army Air Corps during World War I. He was 26, already scheduled to be shipped home, when he was killed in a plane crash in France.

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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports