Beau Bennett
Encyclopedia
Beau Bennett is an American
ice hockey
forward
who currently plays for the Denver Pioneers
of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
. Bennett is currently a sophmore at the University of Denver
. He graduated from Valley Christian High School
in San Jose
, California
. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins
in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
(20th overall). He is the highest-drafted California born-and-trained player in NHL history.
team, the Penticton Vees
. He chose Penticton over the WHL
's Calgary Hitmen
and the USHL's Tri-City Storm
, owning his major jr. and USHL playing rights respectively. While only a rookie, Beau was placed on the top forward line alongside team captain, Denver Manderson (center) and Alex Szczechura (left wing).
Bennett had an incredibly strong start to his season before being named to represent his country at the World Junior A Challenge
. After contributing three goals and four points and winning a gold medal, Beau returned to Penticton to record ten goals and ten assists in nine games. In December, he was named top forward at the CJHL
prospects games in Winkler, Manitoba
. In January, Beau played in the BCHL All-Star Game.
Near the end of the season, due to injury to the top line's center, Manderson, Bennett was switched to center, a position he had never played. He flourished in the position, and in the final regular season game, scored four points to tie Mark Zengerle for the league scoring title. (With 120 points each, Bennett had 41 goals and 79 assists, Zengerle had 33 goals and 87 assists.)
In the Interior Conference Finals, the Vees faced elimination by the Vernon Vipers. The Vipers hosted Game Five, which went into triple overtime. After helping force a 2-2 tie by contributing a goal, Bennett set up the play that gave the Vees another chance. After receiving a pass, he beat defenders and approached the right side of the net, pursued by captain Manderson as well as Vernon defense. Pretending to attempt a wraparound goal, he used a skillful backhand pass through his skates to Manderson that Vernon goalie, Graeme Gordon, didn't see. Making as though he still carried the puck, he swept around the back of the net, with Gordon following to cover his right (net's left) side of the net, leaving his left (net's right) wide open for Manderson to snap the perfectly placed puck between the pipes. The Vees went on to be defeated in Game 6.
Despite the less than perfect end to his season, Bennett was named the BCHL's Rookie of the Year, as well as received the Penticton Vees' Leading Scorer Award and the Rookie of the Year Award.
. He recorded four multi-point games. He tallied a career-best two points in games against Bemidji State
, Lake Superior State
, Minnesota State and Alaska-Anchorage
. He tallied six assists during a six-game point streak from March 4th through March 19th. Bennett added 98 hits and 15 blocked shots. He missed five games from December 4th through January 1st with a right knee injury. Bennett committed nine penalties for 18 PIMs.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
who currently plays for the Denver Pioneers
Denver Pioneers
The Denver Pioneers are the sports teams of the University of Denver. They play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, with most teams participating in the Sun Belt Conference. The Western Athletic Conference will become Denver's primary sports conference on July 1, 2012.The...
of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
. Bennett is currently a sophmore at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
. He graduated from Valley Christian High School
Valley Christian High School
Valley Christian High School may refer to:*Valley Christian High School *Valley Christian High School *Valley Christian High School *Valley Christian High School...
in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
2010 NHL Entry Draft
The 2010 NHL Entry Draft was the 48th NHL Entry Draft, held on June 25–26, 2010 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home arena of the Los Angeles Kings. This was the first time Los Angeles hosted the NHL Entry Draft. An unofficial record of 11 American-trained players were selected in...
(20th overall). He is the highest-drafted California born-and-trained player in NHL history.
Junior career
Beau committed in June 2009 to play for Penticton's British Columbia Hockey LeagueBritish Columbia Hockey League
The British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior "A" ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 16 teams. These teams play in two conferences, known as the Coastal and the Interior...
team, the Penticton Vees
Penticton Vees
The Penticton Vees are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League...
. He chose Penticton over the WHL
WHL
WHL may stand for:*Western Hockey League *Western Hockey League *Western Hockey League *West of Harvey Lock*White Hart Lane*World Heritage List*WorldHotel-Link*West Hawk Lake, Manitoba...
's Calgary Hitmen
Calgary Hitmen
The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League . They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" Hart, a local-born professional wrestler, was a founding owner...
and the USHL's Tri-City Storm
Tri-City Storm
The Tri-City Storm is a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League .-History:Following the worst single season record by the team, it was announced that head coach Tom Rudrud was informed that he would not remain as the Storm head coach...
, owning his major jr. and USHL playing rights respectively. While only a rookie, Beau was placed on the top forward line alongside team captain, Denver Manderson (center) and Alex Szczechura (left wing).
Bennett had an incredibly strong start to his season before being named to represent his country at the World Junior A Challenge
World Junior A Challenge
The World Junior A Challenge is an annual under-20 international ice hockey tournament sponsored by Hockey Canada, the Canadian Junior Hockey League , and the International Ice Hockey Federation . The tournament showcases Junior A level players and is modeled after the IIHF World U20...
. After contributing three goals and four points and winning a gold medal, Beau returned to Penticton to record ten goals and ten assists in nine games. In December, he was named top forward at the CJHL
CJHL
CJHL can refer to any of the following ice hockey leagues in Canada:*Canadian Junior Hockey League is the association of Canadian Junior "A" hockey leagues*Calgary Junior Hockey League operating in Calgary, Alberta...
prospects games in Winkler, Manitoba
Winkler, Manitoba
Winkler is a small city with a population of about 9,900 located in southern Manitoba, Canada in the Rural Municipality of Stanley...
. In January, Beau played in the BCHL All-Star Game.
Near the end of the season, due to injury to the top line's center, Manderson, Bennett was switched to center, a position he had never played. He flourished in the position, and in the final regular season game, scored four points to tie Mark Zengerle for the league scoring title. (With 120 points each, Bennett had 41 goals and 79 assists, Zengerle had 33 goals and 87 assists.)
In the Interior Conference Finals, the Vees faced elimination by the Vernon Vipers. The Vipers hosted Game Five, which went into triple overtime. After helping force a 2-2 tie by contributing a goal, Bennett set up the play that gave the Vees another chance. After receiving a pass, he beat defenders and approached the right side of the net, pursued by captain Manderson as well as Vernon defense. Pretending to attempt a wraparound goal, he used a skillful backhand pass through his skates to Manderson that Vernon goalie, Graeme Gordon, didn't see. Making as though he still carried the puck, he swept around the back of the net, with Gordon following to cover his right (net's left) side of the net, leaving his left (net's right) wide open for Manderson to snap the perfectly placed puck between the pipes. The Vees went on to be defeated in Game 6.
Despite the less than perfect end to his season, Bennett was named the BCHL's Rookie of the Year, as well as received the Penticton Vees' Leading Scorer Award and the Rookie of the Year Award.
University of Denver
In his Freshman year, Bennett played 37 games and tallied 25 points on nine goals and 16 assists and added one power-play goal and one game-winning goal in a 3-2 win against Alaska-AnchorageUniversity of Alaska Anchorage
The University of Alaska Anchorage is the largest school of the University of Alaska System, with about 16,500 students, about 14,000 of whom attend classes at Goose Lake, its main campus in Anchorage....
. He recorded four multi-point games. He tallied a career-best two points in games against Bemidji State
Bemidji State University
Bemidji State University is a public state university in Bemidji, Minnesota, USA, located on the shores of Lake Bemidji. It is a part of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities .-History:BSU was founded in 1919 as Bemidji State Normal School...
, Lake Superior State
Lake Superior State University
Lake Superior State University is a small public university in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It is Michigan's smallest public university with an enrollment around 3,000 students. Due to its proximity to the border, notably the twin city of Sault Ste...
, Minnesota State and Alaska-Anchorage
University of Alaska Anchorage
The University of Alaska Anchorage is the largest school of the University of Alaska System, with about 16,500 students, about 14,000 of whom attend classes at Goose Lake, its main campus in Anchorage....
. He tallied six assists during a six-game point streak from March 4th through March 19th. Bennett added 98 hits and 15 blocked shots. He missed five games from December 4th through January 1st with a right knee injury. Bennett committed nine penalties for 18 PIMs.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2009–10 | Penticton Vees Penticton Vees The Penticton Vees are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League... |
BCHL British Columbia Hockey League The British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior "A" ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 16 teams. These teams play in two conferences, known as the Coastal and the Interior... |
56 | 41 | 79 | 120 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 6 | ||
| 2010–11 | University of Denver University of Denver The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings.... |
WCHA WCHA WCHA is an AM radio station broadcasting at 800kHz. Owned by Main Line Broadcasting, it is licensed to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, serving the Hagerstown-Chambersburg area. WCHA is an Oldies and Classic Hits formatted broadcast radio station. WCHA simulcasts on sister AM station WHAG and on... |
37 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| WCHA totals | 37 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 18 | |||||||||