And you thought Yann Danis was tough.

Sure, Brown’s Hobey Baker Award finalist ranks in the top four nationally in goals against average, save percentage and shutouts. Still, the Crimson snuck seven goals past him in its two game sweep.

Then again, Danis is no Jimmy Howard.

Maine’s sophomore netminder has surrendered just 1.05 goals per game—0.76 fewer than Danis—while recording a .958 save percentage—both tops in the country, while rattling off six shutouts, tied for second-best in the nation and just one behind Michigan State goaltender Dominic Vicari.

But Vicari had 28 chances to land his seven blank sheets. Alvaro Montoya from Michigan, who is tied with Howard at six, stood between the pipes 38 times for the Wolverines.

Howard did it in 20 fewer appearances.

“Maine,” Harvard coach Mark Mazzoleni said, “has a great goaltender. His numbers back it up.”

Do they ever.

In Howard’s last 11 games, he has surrendered a grand total of zero even-strength goals.

Zero.

Despite facing fewer than 20 shots just once. Despite facing both Boston College and New Hampshire, each a tournament team. Despite facing a whopping 63 shots in the Hockey East Championship game against UMass, a contest which went into triple overtime.

And it isn’t as if Howard has had the luxury of allowing the puck to sneak past him on occasion. Including that Minuteman marathon and both of his other playoff starts, seven of Howard’s last 11 have been decided by a single tally or less.

And of those seven, the Black Bears have won just three—each of the post-season contests—while notching a pair of ties.

“It is playoff hockey,” Howard said. “Every game is going to be close, so you have to be ready.”

Being prepared has been easier said than done for this backstop, however. After shutting out defending national champion Minnesota in the season opener, Howard fell into a rotation in which he split time with senior Frank Doyle, alternating starts until Doyle assumed complete control of the position between Dec. 5 and Jan. 17.