NCHC Suspends Isaac Howard for Two Games

The NCHC has announced a two-game suspension for Minnesota Duluth freshman forward Isaac Howard stemming from a major penalty and game misconduct for cross checking he received in last Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Wisconsin.

The play occurred at the 7:23 mark of the second period. The TV broadcast of the game did not pick up the incident on camera. But after Wisconsin had cleared the puck to the other end of the ice on a UMD power play, a visibly frustrated Howard slammed his stick against the boards, and as he skated off the ice, delivered a cross check to Wisconsin’s Corson Ceulemans.

A multi-game suspension in college hockey is incredibly rare, but Howard’s hit, delivered to a player well behind the actual play at least sounds worthy of an exception. Ceulemans was thankfully able to return to the game, and assisted on Wisconsin’s third goal. Howard was the second Bulldog to be hit with a suspension last weekend after teammate Wyatt Kaiser was suspended for Saturday’s game.

Howard will have to miss both of Minnesota Duluth’s games next weekend when they host Cornell.