Tuesday morning, Jordan Eberle insisted he was approaching his first game against his old team just like any other.
The approach had good intentions, but reality differed.
Facing the Oilers for the first time since they traded him to the Islanders in June, Eberle found some redemption with a goal in a 2-1 overtime loss at Barclays Center on a night that was anything but normal.
“It was really weird, to be honest,” said Eberle, who spent the first seven years of his career as an Oiler. “First period, it’s something you can’t really prepare yourself for. But as the game went on, I settled in and started to play.”
The Islanders acquired the 27-year-old Eberle for 24-year-old Ryan Strome, who centered the Oilers’ third line Tuesday night. Strome has two goals and three assists this season while Eberle now has five goals and seven assists.
Eberle added to his point total Tuesday when he tied the game at one in the second period. The right wing took a pass from Mathew Barzal and flung a wrister top shelf for the equalizer.
“I didn’t really know what to expect,” Eberle said. “It’s definitely weird when you see [your old teammates], but your mind starts to settle in after the first few shifts and it’s just another hockey game and you compete.”
Center Alan Quine is set to rejoin the Islanders for their upcoming road trip that begins Friday against the Stars in Dallas. Out with an upper-body injury since preseason camp, Quine was sent to AHL Bridgeport for a conditioning assignment Oct. 26 and Tuesday might have opened a spot for him.
After getting crushed along the boards late in the second period, fourth-line winger Nikolay Kulemin is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
“It didn’t look great,” coach Doug Weight said. “It certainly was a dangerous hit, 6 feet from the boards and his arms just got chicken-winged in there. We’re going to have to do some tests.”
Connor McDavid, who tallied the game-winner Tuesday, was the first Oilers player to reach 100 points (30 goals, 70 assists) last season since Weight scored 104 points (25 goals, 79 assists) in 1995-96.
“I told him he’s got some work to do to catch the 104, but I don’t think it’s going to be a problem for him,” Weight said with a laugh before the game. “I just think he’s a great ambassador to the game. At that age, his maturity, the way he carries himself and the way he plays every game, it’s special.”