NHL ROUNDUP : Vukota’s Spree Leads Islanders

Mick Vukota is getting a chance to play because he gives the New York Islanders considerable toughness up front. He is 6 feet 2 inches and weighs 195.

The drawback is that the 21-year-old right wing has not been proficient at putting the puck into the net. In his first 71 games for the Islanders, Vukota accumulated 345 penalty minutes, but only four goals.

For a time in the first period Friday night at Landover, Md., the Washington Capitals must have thought Vukota was Mario Lemieux.

Vukota scored a hat trick in five minutes to lead the Islanders to a 5-3 victory in a fight-marred game.

For a brief span, Vukota was a sharpshooter. At 10:08, he took a pass at the left side of the net and, with a quick flick of the wrist, made it 1-0 Islanders. A little later, he knocked in a rebound. He completed his first hat trick since junior hockey when he slipped the puck behind goalie Don Beaupre at 15:08 to give New York a 3-0 lead.

After his offensive burst, Vukota reverted to his routine in the second period, picking up a major penalty for fighting.

Vancouver 3, New Jersey 2--Rich Sutter, one of seven brothers to play in the NHL, provided the goals for the Canucks at East Rutherford, N.J.

Sutter scored in each period for his first hat trick. The 25-year-old wing is probably the least known of the brothers, four of whom are still playing.

Rich’s twin brother, Ron, plays with Philadelphia, Brent with the New York Islanders and Duane with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Buffalo 6, Montreal 2--Veteran center Dave Andreychuk had two goals and an assist at Buffalo to lead the Sabres to victory.

Andreychuk’s second goal, his sixth of the season, tied the score, 2-2, in the second period.

He triggered a four-goal third-period burst when he set up Pierre Turgeon for the tie-breaking score at 4:21. Christian Ruttu assisted on the next three goals as the Sabres turned the game into a romp.

Boston 3, Edmonton 0--It was an enjoyable return to Edmonton for Bruins’ goaltender Andy Moog.

Moog, who helped the Oilers win a Stanley Cup a few years ago, stopped shots to produce a shutout.

Chicago 4, Winnipeg 2--Dirk Graham’s short-handed goal in the third period thwarted the Jets’ comeback at Winnipeg.

Doug Smail scored early in the final period to cut the Blackhawk lead to 3-2. When Wayne Presley went off for hooking, the Jets made a bid to tie. But when defenseman Fredrik Olausson fanned on a pass, Graham grabbed the puck and scored quickly.