Hats rain on the ice as the Edmonton Oilers' Taylor Hall, centre, Sam Gagner, left, and Ladislav Smid skate to the bench after Hall scored a hat trick winning goal against the Atlanta Thrashers, during third period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, on Saturday, February 19, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John UlanJohn Ulan/The Canadian Press
Rookie Taylor Hall registered his first career hat trick as the Edmonton Oilers rallied from a two-goal third period deficit to beat the Atlanta Thrashers 5-3 on Saturday, earning a third straight home win for the first time in almost a year.
Magnus Paajarvi and Ales Hemsky also scored for the Oilers (19-32-8) who last won three straight at Rexall Place last March.
Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd and Evander Kane replied for the Thrashers (25-25-10), who have dropped five straight road games during a stretch which has also seen them drop seven of eight and 14 of 17 overall.
Atlanta went up 1-0 on its first shot of the game 4 1/2 minutes in as Byfuglien's floater from the point went in off Edmonton goalie Devan Dubnyk's glove.
The Thrashers almost went ahead 2-0 with six minutes to play in the first as Bryan Little was the beneficiary of a giveaway in the Oilers zone but fired a shot off the post.
Atlanta did go ahead 2-0 just 59 seconds in the second as Ladd golfed in a rebound for his 21st goal of the season.
Edmonton cut the deficit to 2-1 with five minutes remaining in the period as Paajarvi scored on a wrist shot from the top of the circle that went through Atlanta goalie Chris Mason's pads.
The Thrashers countered 1:12 into the third as Kane went around Dustin Penner and scored his 17th goal of the season with the two teams playing one man short.
But the Oilers rallied to tie the score with two power-play goals by Hall less than a minute apart.
Just 30 seconds after Atlanta scored, Hall stepped out from the side of the net and surprised Mason with a shot through his legs. Hall scored again 40 seconds later, converting a pass from behind the net by Hemsky.
With seven minutes left in regulation, Atlanta's Nik Antropov took a high-sticking double minor. Hall then scored to complete the natural hat trick with yet another power-play goal to give him 20 on the season.
Hemsky rounded out the scoring with an empty-net goal with 12 seconds left.
Edmonton returns to action Tuesday in Minnesota while the Thrashers close out a three-game road trip in Buffalo on Wednesday.
NOTES - It was the only meeting this season between the two teams. Atlanta has one the previous two encounters...The Thrashers two new faces in the lineup as recent acquisitions forward Blake Wheeler and defenceman Mark Stuart joined their new team after a trade Friday with Boston that saw Rich Peverley and minor-league defenceman Boris Valabik heading to the Bruins... Edmonton placed disgruntled defenceman Sheldon Souray on re-entry wires Saturday. Souray, who has been playing for Hershey in the AHL this season, can be claimed by NHL teams Monday... Oilers rookie Jordan Eberle came in with eight points in eight games since returning from an ankle injury... Atlanta's penalty kill is second-worst in the NHL at 76.5 per cent. Only Edmonton is worse at 75.5 per cent... NHL commissioner Gary Bettman took in the game in advance of heading to Calgary on Sunday for the Heritage Classic outdoor game.