clarinews@clarinet.com (01/18/90)
EDMONTON, Alberta (UPI) -- Mark Messier scored his second hat trick of the season and 12th of his career, powering the Edmonton Oilers to a 6-3 victory Wednesday night over the Winnipeg Jets. Messier scored twice in the second period and rapped in a loose rebound at 18:21 of the third period to run his goal output to 27 this year. Linemate Glenn Anderson assisted on all of Messier's goals and one other for a four-point night. Petr Klima gave the Oilers a 4-1 lead at 9:55 of the third period. Laurie Boschman scored three seconds later and Dale Hawerchuk brought the Jets to within 4-3 at 14:00 by drilling in a shot through a screen of players. Kevin Lowe scored into an empty net with 48 seconds remaining and the Oilers playing one man short. After a scoreless first period, Messier put the Oilers ahead 1-0 with a breakaway goal at 2:50 of the second. With Jets goalie Bob Essensa down and traffic in front, defenseman Randy Gregg wristed in a 20-foot shot at 7:56 to give the Oilers a 2-0 lead. Brent Ashton banked in a shot off the pads of goalie Bill Ranford at 10:00 to bring the Jets to within one goal. Ashton's goal came during a five-minute power play created by a spearing penalty to Oilers defenseman Steve Smith. Messier gave the Oilers a 3-1 lead by whipping in a goal-mouth pass from Anderson during a power play at 16:20. Vladimir Ruzicka, a star in the Czechoslovakian Elite League, made his NHL debut as an Oiler. The Oilers, who obtained Ruzicka's NHL rights from the Toronto Maple Leafs, used the 6-foot-3, 215-pound center mostly on a line with Jari Kurri and Esa Tikkanen.