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, Wis., 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.

Two Gophers earn All-America honors

Sam Rinzel and Jimmy Snuggerud of the Gophers men’s hockey team were both named AHCA/CCM Hockey Division I All-Americans.

Rinzel, a defenseman, was named to the West First Team; Snuggerud, a forward, was named to the West Second Team.

USA tops Czechia in Women’s Worlds

Goaltender Gwyneth Philips recorded her first-career shutout with Team USA to help propel the U.S. Women’s National Team to a 4-0 victory over Czechia at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship.

Abbey Murphy scored twice with Hilary Knight and Alex Carpenter netting one goal apiece.

Football

Flacco returning to Browns on 1-year deal

Quarterback Joe Flacco agreed to terms with the Cleveland Browns on a one-year deal.

Flacco won the league’s Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 after leading an inspiring late-season surge that carried the Browns to the playoffs.

Flacco, 40, spent last season in Indianapolis, throwing for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games, including a 2-4 mark as a starter.

BASKETBALL

Jokic seals triple-double average for season

Nikola Jokic will average a triple-double for the season, making the Denver star the third player in NBA history to pull off such a feat.

Jokic claimed his 700th assist of the season in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies — so, even if he doesn’t get another before Sunday’s end of the regular season, which would be his 70th game, he is assured of averaging no worse than 10.0 assists. The other players to average a triple-double for a full season: Russell Westbrook and basketball Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson.

76ers’ Embiid has surgery on left knee

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, and the team said he will be re-evaluated in about six weeks.

Embiid originally had meniscus surgery on Feb. 6, 2024. The 2023 league MVP returned for the playoffs.

He averaged 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 19 games this season.

Grizzlies’ Wells out for season with broken wrist

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells is expected to miss the rest of the season after breaking his right wrist and sustaining a concussion and facial laceration in a hard fall Tuesday against the Charlotte Hornets.

Wells is the team’s top perimeter defender and one of the league’s top rookies. He averages 10.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

BRIEFLY

baseball >> The St. Paul Saints held off Omaha to win 6-4 at CHS Field. Alex Speas got the win in relief and Kyle Bischall earned the save with two scoreless innings. Luke Keaschall and Carson McCusker both homered for St. Paul.

— From news services