NHL Roundup : Oilers Post Fifth Straight Win by Beating Jets, 7-4

Mark Messier and Jari Kurri each scored twice as the Edmonton Oilers won their fifth consecutive game, beating the Winnipeg Jets, 7-4, Friday night at Winnipeg.

The victory gave Edmonton 74 points, two more than the idle Kings in the race for second place in the Smythe Division.

With the game tied, 2-2, the Oilers took command midway through the second period on tip-ins by Kurri and Craig Simpson 48 seconds apart. Messier made it 5-2 on a breakaway at 15:27.

Messier added his second goal of the game at 8:40 of the final period before Winnipeg’s Pat Elynuik scored twice in just over three minutes to bring the Jets within 6-4.

The Winnipeg rally stalled when Paul Fenton drew a high-sticking major at 18:02 and Kurri scored into an empty net.

Washington 4, Pittsburgh 2--Mike Gartner and Michal Pivonka both scored in a 69-second span of the second period at Landover, Md., to help the Capitals end a four-game home losing streak.

Gartner’s 26th goal of the season at 12:19 tied the score, 2-2, and Pivonka followed with his fourth goal at 13:28. Dave Christian added his 28th of the season at 11:56 of the third period.

League scoring leader Mario Lemieux of the Penguins did not have a shot on goal and was held without a point for only the seventh game this season. Pittsburgh had just 21 shots against goaltender Don Beaupre, including only five in the third period.

Washington had lost four straight at the Capital Centre and was 1-7-1 in its previous nine home games. Pittsburgh is 0-4-2 in its last six on the road and 1-5-2 in its last seven overall.

New Jersey 6, N.Y. Rangers 3--Brendan Shanahan scored two power-play goals and the Devils scored four times in the opening 11:15 of the game to win at East Rutherford, N.J., and end their eight-game winless streak.

The Devils fell from five points behind fourth-place Philadelphia to 13 back during the 0-6-2 skid. Now, they trail the Flyers by 10 points with 14 games left.