JOE HOWE
Colorado College
So. | G | Plymouth, Minn.

Key Statistics: Howe started 36 of the Tigers’ 39 games in net as a freshman, and all 28 league games. He led all WCHA goalies in conference minutes played. Howe finished with a 17-15-3 record, a 2.80 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage, and was an INCH Rookie All-American.

What He Does: We first met Howe minutes after his WCHA debut – a 39-save effort to come from behind and win before a raucous crowd at the Kohl Center. What struck us immediately about the rookie was his calm demeanor despite nearly 12,000 red-clad fans urging him to fail. “I may have been a little more nervous than I showed,” Howe admits now. “Still, it’s the same game I’ve been playing all my life, with the same rules, but it’s maybe a little faster than I was used to.” Howe’s success comes foremost from his deep knowledge of the game, allowing him to sense the flow of the other team’s offense, read the play and often anticipate from where the next shot will come.

The Bigger Picture: Life was good for the Tigers in that window between Christmas and the New Year, as they sported a 12-4-3 record and stared headlong at an NCAA Tournament trip. Then the team hit a wall, and won just seven of the last 20 games. Howe’s coach admits the goalie, and the rest of the Tigers, had tough sledding in January, but Howe rebounded to finish the season strong despite CC bowing out in the opening round of the WCHA playoffs. Not shy about relying on rookie goalies (see also: Bachman, Richard) Scott Owens saw quickness, maturity and a competitive fire from Howe in the team’s first few practices a year ago, and knew he’d found the Tigers’ next every-night netminder.

Tigers coach Scott Owens on Howe: “You see young goalies do well in this league. It’s not an aberration. So when I saw Joe’s strength and how competitive he was in practice, I knew he could come in and be successful right away.”