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Lucic rocks the Sharks with a huge hit, fight and natural hat trick

Milan Lucic made his presence felt late in the first period of Thursday’s game against the Sharks by sending Chris Tierney flying through the air with a massive body check.

He was then immediately challenged to a fight with Micheal Haley.

Clean hit. Followed by a lengthy fight.

But Lucic wasn’t done there.

He delivered a natural hat trick in the third period, scoring the tying goal, the eventual winning goal and the insurance goal in a 4-2 victory over the Sharks, who were without Logan Couture and Joe Thornton and held to just 15 shots on goal on home ice. Connor McDavid also had two points, and at 20 years of age, he currently leads the NHL with 97 points.

The Oilers remain mathematically in the hunt for first place in the Pacific Division, four points back of Anaheim with two games remaining in their regular season and a game in hand on the Ducks.

It should only help the Oilers’ cause that they finish the season with a home-and-home set against a bad Vancouver Canucks team that has lost six straight.

Lucic is in the first year of a massive seven-year, $42 million deal that he signed as a free agent last summer. He’s now up to 23 goals and 48 points -- 25 of those points have come on the power play.

“His play tonight was tremendous,” said coach Todd McLellan. “We’re lucky to have him at this time of year. It’s exactly what we brought him in for.”