NHL Roundup : Kurri Scores Twice to Pace Oiler Victory

Jari Kurri scored a short-handed goal to spark a 3-goal second period, then added an empty-net goal to snuff out a Vancouver comeback, giving the Edmonton Oilers a 4-2 victory over the Canucks Wednesday night at Edmonton, Canada.

The Oilers’ win was their first point in 3 games against Vancouver this season and halted the Canucks’ 6-game unbeaten streak.

Edmonton built a 3-0 lead in the second period on goals by Kurri, Jimmy Carson and Keith Acton, but Vancouver rallied in the final period on goals by Dan Hodgson and Trevor Linden.

The Canucks had their chances to tie the game but couldn’t get another shot past goaltender Bill Ranford. Their best chance came in the 14th minute when Ranford made three rapid-fire saves, the last one a glove grab of Petri Skriko’s point-blank rebound shot.

Montreal 6, Hartford 3--Bobby Smith had 2 goals, including the go-ahead score, to lead the surging Canadiens past the Whalers at Hartford, Conn.

Claude Lemieux and Mike McPhee each had 1 goal and 2 assists for the Canadiens.

The Canadiens, 11-2-2 since Nov. 1, beat the Whalers for the third time in as many games this season and improved their record to 15-9-3. Montreal has 33 points, 3 fewer than league-leading Calgary.

The Canadiens trailed, 2-1, after the first period but took control by scoring 4 times in a 15:40 span of the second period.

Guy Carbonneau scored a short-handed goal at 1:08 to tie the game, 2-2, and Smith’s power-play goal at 3:19 put Montreal ahead to stay. Lemieux made it 4-2 at 14:27, and Brian Skrudland made it 5-2 on the power play at 16:48.

Pittsburgh 6, Washington 4--Rob Brown had 2 goals and 2 assists to lead the Penguins past the Capitals at Pittsburgh.

The Capitals have lost only twice in their last 9 games, both times to the Penguins, who have won 4 in a row.

Brown scored his second goal of the game and 23rd of the season on a power play at 1:25 of the third period, knocking in Paul Coffey’s pass for a 5-3 lead.

Geoff Courtnall beat Tom Barrasso with a 40-foot shot off a face-off during a 5-on-3 power play at 3:41 to get Washington close again, but Pittsburgh’s Randy Cunneyworth scored his 12th on a breakaway at 13:11.

Mario Lemieux scored his 22nd goal on a power play with 3 seconds left in the second period to give the Penguins a 4-3 lead.

Washington tied the score, 3-3, on a power-play goal by Steve Leach at 17:59 of the second period.

Buffalo 6, Quebec 2--Phil Housley scored the go-ahead goal and added an assist as the Sabres beat the Nordiques at Buffalo for their third straight victory.

Housley’s goal, which came at 3:35 of the second period, broke a 2-2 tie.

Doug Bodger added a goal and 2 assists for Buffalo. Buffalo’s Pierre Turgeon also scored in the decisive second period on an assist from Housley. The assist was the ninth point in the last 3 games for Housley.

The loss was Quebec’s fourth in 6 games.

The Sabres scored first when Mike Donnelly tipped in a pass from Christian Ruuttu. Quebec tied the score later in the first period when Walt Poddubny knocked in his own rebound for his 17th goal.