Through three winless games this season, one of the few bright spots this season for the Pittsburgh Penguins has been the play of third line right-winger Beau Bennett.
That light has also been extinguished as the team announced early on today that Bennett is injured and will not play tonight against the Ottawa Senators.
“He’ll be out for tonight’s game,” Pens head coach Mike Johnston said after morning skate. “We will start to get some news on how long that injury will be.”
For Bennett, the injury news has to be a crushing blow. After dealing with a variety of maladies over the last few seasons, including several wrist surgeries, a bout with the mumps and a knee injury, Bennett finally looked healthy and poised to play a larger role in the Penguins offense this season.
He was one of the best players on the ice in the team’s home opener on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens.
He singlehandedly created the team’s first goal, stripping Montreal defenseman Nathan Beaulieu in the defensive zone and sprinted up the right wing, firing a shot past Carey Price.
It was a tantalizing glimpse of the speed and skill that made Bennett a first round draft pick in 2010. Injuries have conspired to limit him to just 99 games played over his first four seasons.
Hopefully for Bennett and the Penguins, this latest malady won’t be a severe setback to the progress that he’s made.
Photo credit: Gregory Shamus via NHLI/Getty Images
