By Warren Kozireski —
Blake Bennett wears the black and gold jersey of the American International Yellow Jackets these days, but during his hockey journey just prior he wore six different team jerseys in five years.
“I was a big suitcase playing in any league that would take me,” Bennett said after a road game at RIT in February. “I wasn’t as good back then, but it helped me grow as a player though and I think that’s why I’m doing so well here today. This is the first place I’ve been for more than one year.”
Bennett put up a 60-point campaign with Corpus Christie in the NAHL in 2018-19 before going to college. The year prior was a 52-point season with Charlotte in the USPHL Premier league and 12 months before that he piled up 67 points in 37 games with the Lockport Express in the NA3HL while also spending 20 games with the Buffalo Regals.
Going back even further it was Springfield in the WSHL in 2015-16 and joining his brother with the Halton Ravens (GMHL) in 2014-15 began the journey after one year at the junior varsity level at Grand Island High School.
He is also of product of the Bud Bakewell Bruins and the Niagara Purple Eagles youth hockey systems, but took some time off when hockey didn’t click with him for a few years.
“I switched to Regals AAA (under former Rochester Amerk Geoff Peters) and played with a lot of the good 98’s there and I kind of fell off a little bit and wasn’t as interested in hockey for a year or two and then jumped back into it.
“That was the hardest thing when I came back was getting back to the level I was at before I stopped playing and that’s why it took me so long. Between those years I missed a lot of development years, so I guess I’m a little bit of a late-bloomer, but it worked out well for me and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
The Yellow Jackets stood in first place in Atlantic Hockey and Bennett was tied for fifth on the team in scoring including the overtime game-winning goal at Army in early January.
“It’s such a tight-knit group and everyone loves each other. Everyone plays for each other and I think that’s the difference between us and a lot of teams is how close we are.
“Some guys graduated (and) I had a good opportunity this year and I took advantage of it. Having a good connection with my linemates and my power play unit has made it really easy for me.”
Bennet entered this season with just five games of collegiate experience, but was more than productive offensively in that limited time when he has played with three points in those games before his breakout this season.
“First year I was a redshirt and last year we had so many good guys that I made do with what I had for opportunities, but this year I’m getting in more.”
Bennett committed to American International in his last year of juniors just as the longtime lower division performing squad was turning the program around under new head coach Eric Lang.
“That’s something that made we want to come here; I saw how good the coach and staff was here and I wanted to be a part of it.”
A major part this year—finally.
(American International Hockey Photos)
