After four years at the University of Michigan, center T.J. Hensick made a strong push to make the Colorado Avalanche roster this fall in his first pro training camp. At just 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, the 22-year-old Hensick calls on explosive speed and a creative streak with the puck, and they will be his ticket to excel against much bigger players in the NHL.

Despite an impressive preseason performance, Hensick started the season with Lake Erie of the AHL. It didn’t take long to join the Avalanche, however, as injuries to Joe Sakic, Paul Stastny and Ryan Smyth have created holes in the offense. Hensick arrived in late November.

In his second NHL game on Dec. 1, Hensick went in alone on a breakaway and snapped a wrist shot past Los Angeles goalie Jason LaBarbera for his first goal.

Then Hensick went two months -- a stretch of 19 games -- without finding the net. In Colorado’s last six games, however, he and the Avalanche have demonstrated a scoring touch that has produced four wins and an overtime loss in the last six games. Even without the scoring punch of Sakic, Stastny and Smyth, the Avs have been able to stay among the Western Conference’s top eight teams in pursuit of a playoff berth.

It’s been an up-and-down road. The Avalanche had lost three of four when they were held to 15 shots and blanked 2-0 in Detroit on Feb. 1. The following night in St. Louis, Hensick scored a pair of goals to help Colorado to a 6-4 victory over the Blues.

“It's been awhile since I've scored a goal,” Hensick said after the game. “Two good plays by two very good players and I reaped the benefits.”

Hensick made it back-to-back two-goal games on Feb. 4, when he scored two of Colorado’s three goals in an overtime loss to Phoenix. On Wednesday, he tallied the go-ahead goal in a 3-1 win over San Jose. After assisting on a Brett Clark goal Saturday, in a 6-2 victory in Vancouver, Hensick has five goals and an assist in Colorado’s last four games.

No one has more goals during the Avs’ 4-1-1 surge. Hensick and others have picked up the slack with key players sidelined.

Colorado Goal-Scoring Leaders, Last Six Games

Player. . . . . . . . . . .G. . . . . . . . . Pts
T.J. Hensick. . . . . . .5. . . . . . . . . . .7
Marek Svatos. . . . . . 4. . . . . . . . . . .6
Tyler Arnason. . . . . .3. . . . . . . . . . 11
Ben Guite. . . . . . . . 3. . . . . . . . . . .4
Milan Hejduk. . . . . . 3. . . . . . . . . . .4

Hensick impressed his teammates with how he handled his scoring drought, still coming ready to play and doing what he can contribute. When you keep putting out, sometimes it seems luck is the only difference between finding the back of the net and going scoreless for days on end. And Hensick’s luck has turned.

“He’s playing great,” Avalanche defenseman John-Michael Liles said of the rookie. “He’s worked hard and put in some time in the minors and had a few trips back and forth, so it’s nice to see him rewarded.”

The Avs are being rewarded as well by the first-year pro, sooner rather than later.