Penticton Vees forward Beau Bennett continued his strong play at the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y., leading Team USA to a victory that improved their record to 2-0 on Wednesday.
The Pittsburgh Penguins' 2010 first-round draft pick helped lead the charge. Bennett picked up two more assists on Wednesday as the Americans downed Finland, 6-3, in the second of a four-game mini-series between the United States, Finland and Sweden. The 18-year-old, who also had two assists in the United States’ 6-3 victory over Sweden on Tuesday, currently leads the Americans in scoring with four assists through two games.
Team USA already led 1-0 midway through the first period against the Finns when Bennett and Justin Faulk combined to set up Nick Bjugstad for the first of his two goals. Bennett also factored into the Americans’ sixth goal when he picked up the first assist on Bjugstad’s second tally of the contest during the third period.
Bennett and the Americans are off on Thursday before completing Evaluation Camp with 4 p.m. matchups with Sweden on Friday and Finland on Saturday.
The 28 participants at the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp, which runs from August 2 through August 7, are auditioning for a spot on the U.S. National Junior Team that will take part in the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship starting in late December in Buffalo, N.Y.
