CBC-Sports

Hemsky honours Anderson with clutch goals

January 21, 2009 04:40 PM | Posted by   Craig Simpson  

As a teammate of Glenn Anderson through two Stanley Cups, I can attest to his penchant for coming through in the clutch.

Andy was one of the best big-game players in NHL history. The bigger the game, the more on the line and the more intense the pressure, he always seemed to be able to raise his game to a higher level.

His 93 playoff goals (fifth all-time) and 214 playoff points (fourth) and five overtime playoff goals (third) are just a few examples of his penchant for big-game heroics. This season, despite the long wait, Anderson was finally honoured with a rightful place in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

On a night when the Oilers hoisted number nine to the rafters to pay tribute to one of their great players from the past, it was their most-skilled player of the present who returned to the lineup to make an impact on the game.

Past meets present

Ales Hemsky had been on the injured reserve for 10 games suffering the effects of a Dec. 28 concussion. With Oiler greats Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr and company back in the building, it was Hemsky’s return that sparked Edmonton to victory. Hemsky set the tone for the evening with a highlight-reel goal to give the Oilers their first lead of the game, and then late in the third, his second goal put the game out of reach.

It was a fitting tribute by an Oiler right-winger to honour one of the best Oilers to play that position.

Hemsky has long been the Oilers’ top offensive threat, but has yet to take his game to level of NHL greats. In the past three years he has flirted with being a point-per-game producer (career high 77 points in 2006), but has never quite been able to get there. Edmonton fans have always respected the skill and effort that he brings to the rink, but have been waiting for him to break through to the next level of success.

This year might be the year when he is ready to make the jump to superstardom.

On the heels of his two-goal performance Sunday, Hemsky saved his best for the last game before the all-star break. Tuesday against Columbus, with a chance to move his team into a playoff spot, Hemsky played his best game of the year. With a two-goal, two-assist effort, Hemsky single-handedly willed the Oilers to victory.

His second goal with just 35 seconds left sparked Edmonton’s third-period comeback and brought back memories of one of Glenn Anderson’s 73 all-time, franchise-leading, game-winning tallies. Hemsky pounced on a turnover at the defensive blue-line, snaked his way up the right side and ripped a wrist shot up and over Steve Mason’s glove into the top corner.

Point-per-game average among league's best

Hemsky now has 41 points in just 36 games and is in the top 40 in scoring. With a point-per-game average of 1.13, his production has been better than the likes of Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Marian Hossa, Vincent Lecavalier, Mike Richards, Rick Nash and the same rate as superstar Jarome Iginla.

At 25 years old, Hemsky has his best hockey ahead of him, and this season he looks like he has the confidence and desire to take his game to the level of the best in the NHL.

He may never have played against or even watched much of Glenn Anderson during his career, but for one special weekend it was Hemsky, like Anderson, who came through in the clutch and brought the Oilers fans out of their seats.

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