CALGARY – Make it an unwanted three and counting for Jamie Benn.
For the third straight game, the Kelowna Rockets were without their top forward due to an undisclosed injury suffered last Saturday in Game 2 of the WHL championship series. The team won‘t disclose what type of injury Benn has, other than to say “he‘s just got the normal bumps and bruises.”
Bumps and bruises aside, Benn was healthy enough to make the trip to Calgary for Thursday night‘s Game 5 at the Saddledome after the Hitmen posted a 6-2 victory in Game 4 on Wednesday to prevent a Rockets sweep. Prior to getting hurt, the 6-foot-2 left winger was the WHL‘s leading playoff scorer with 13 goals and 31 points in 18 games.
With the 19-year-old Victoria product out of action, Rockets head coach Ryan Huska has juggled his line combinations, trying to find a spark to replace Benn‘s missing firepower.
“It‘s an opportunity for other guys, but of course you want Jamie in the lineup all the time, “ said Huska. “He was our leading scorer during the playoffs when he got hurt. But it gives other guys an opportunity to do something special.”
A competitive player, Benn said watching games from the cheap seats isn‘t ideal.
“It‘s tough watching the games,” Benn said just prior to Game 5, “but I think the boys will do just fine out there.”
Since joining Kelowna in 2007, Benn has been an offensive tour de force.
In 107 regular-season games, he scored 79 goals and 147 points. In 25 playoff games, he has 16 goals and 42 points.
Benn‘s best games, however, is when he plays physical and hits bodies. When he does that, Benn winds up getting extra offensive space.
“That‘s Jamie,” said Huska. “He‘s a power forward, and when he does play with an edge, he‘s better. I think most people who‘ve watched Jamie over the last year-and-a-half can really tell when he‘s going to play, play hard and have a good night and win battles. He‘s a difficult guy to play against and he has an edge. And when he brings those, he‘s very good.
“But you have to learn how to do it all the time. He wants to be a professional player in the NHL, and if he‘s going to be a dynamic guy, he has to learn to do that all the time. But that comes with age and experience.”
Paired with puck-moving centre Colin Long and rugged winger Lucas Bloodoff, Benn agreed that when he hits, he opens his chances to score.
“It gives myself a little more space,” said Benn. “Playing with Lucas, he‘s a pretty physical guy and he opens up a lot of space for us.”
Prior to joining Kelowna, Benn was playing for the Victoria Grizzlies of the B.C. Hockey League.
In 2006-07, he tallied 42 goals and 65 points in 53 games and wound up getting drafted by the Dallas Stars, 129th overall in the fifth round of the 2007 draft.
Asked why he left the BCHL for the WHL, Benn said “I wasn‘t really a school guy, so I thought it‘d be better for my career to come to the WHL. It‘s a great league, and it‘s paid off.” Top of Page
