After a bye week, the University of Denver on Monday began to prepare for this weekend’s series at Minnesota State with freshman forward Beau Bennett still nursing a knee injury.
Bennett, a first-round draft choice of the Pittsburgh Penguins last summer, has missed five games since spraining his knee Dec. 3 at Minnesota-Duluth. He sat out the New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day series against Northern Michigan for precautionary reasons, a team spokesman said, but coach George Gwoz- decky said he is not convinced Bennett is ready to play.
Before Monday’s practice, Gwoz- decky said Bennett, 19, would “be very limited” in what he could do with the rest of the team. He is questionable for this weekend.
“I just don’t know yet. He’s got to be comfortable in participating in a full practice before he can play a full game,” Gwozdecky said.
Recruiting trail.
Incoming DU freshmen Garrett Allen, Zac Larraza, Joey LaLeggia and Scott Mayfield make up the NCAA’s fourth- best 2011 recruiting class, according to an independent international scouting service.
The Red Line Report based its rankings from the November early signing period. The Pioneers, who have the country’s No. 1 freshman class, are expected to add two or three more players to the 2011 class, according to Inside College .
Forwards Allen and Larraza, and defensemen LaLeggia and Mayfield, are each NHL draft prospects. Mayfield is ranked No. 15 and Larraza No. 98 among 2011 draft-eligible North American skaters.
Red Line has North Dakota, Miami (Ohio) and Minnesota first through third, and Harvard, Ohio State, Vermont, Cornell and Northeastern rounding out the top nine.
Footnotes.
Colorado College senior forward Tyler Johnson was named the Hockey Commissioners’ Association player of the month for December. Johnson had seven goals and 14 points as the Tigers went 6-2 in the month. . . . The Tigers have freshman Jaden Schwartz back from the Canadian World Junior team, but the star winger could be out until late February with a fractured left ankle he suffered Dec. 30 against the Czech Republic. Despite already missing five CC games, he still is tied for the team scoring lead with 26 points (11 goals).
Front Range rankings
1. Denver (13-5-4, 9-3-2 Western Collegiate Hockey Association). Last week: Idle. This week: At Minnesota State (10-8-4, 4-8-2 WCHA) Friday-Saturday. Comment: Pioneers resume play by taking a four-game unbeaten streak (2-0-2) into Mankato, Minn.
2. Colorado College (12-9-1, 8-6 WCHA). Last week: Idle. This week: At Alaska-Anchorage (5-10-3, 4-8-2 WCHA). Comment: Tigers make their second trip to Alaska this season and play their fourth and fifth games against the Seawolves.
3. Air Force (8-8-3, 6-4-3 Atlantic Hockey Association). Last week: Tied and lost at Sacred Heart, 5-5 and 4-2. This week: Hosts Army (5-13-2, 4-7-2) Friday-Saturday. Comment: With Army coming to the academy, it will be the biggest hockey weekend of the regular season for the Falcons.
