The Islanders are on fire. They are 7-3 in their last ten games, undefeated (5-0-1) on home ice, and are the third highest scoring team in the league. The Oilers begin a crucial four-game road trip in Brooklyn and they will need to tighten up defensively if they hope to skate away with two points.

For the Islanders, it will be Jordan Eberle’s first game against his former team. Eberle wasn’t surprised he was traded, and I sensed he was relieved a trade finally happened. He’d heard his name in trade talks for a long time.

“Obviously there is added motivation (due to the trade). But, I don’t think it was a major surprise I was traded,” Eberle told me yesterday on my radio show. “When it happened you are a bit shocked, but I wouldn’t say I was surprised. With the media today, any hint of a trade and you will read about it on social media or hear about it on radio. Over the summer you have time to think, and I was motivated a bit, but honestly, I was just more excited. You have an opportunity with a team who really wants you and so far it has been great,” said Eberle.

Eberle is liking New York. He’s a huge sports fan and has already attended his first NFL game. The media attention is also much different.

“I didn’t score a goal in the first ten games, and I wasn’t asked about it once (laughs). It is different, and you have to motivate yourself a bit more here because you aren’t living hockey 24/7 like you do in Canada,” Eberle said.

He had six assists in his first ten games, but no goals, and Eberle believes he isn’t helping if he isn’t scoring. Since the slow start he has four goals in his last four games and now has 11 points, nine of them coming at even strength.

Some players love the anonymity of playing in the USA, but others really miss the spotlight of being in a hockey-crazed market. It can be challenging when the team is losing, no doubt, but when the team is competitive every hockey player loves the atmosphere. It is an adjustment and Eberle, who felt his fair share of negative reactions last year, misses the excitement. However, he joked he wouldn’t miss it now as the Oilers are struggling.

Eberle is coming off his least productive season, 20 goals and 51 points, and he knew he needed to make some changes to his game.

“This summer I worked on my skating more than I ever have before. The game is getting faster and you have to adjust,” he said.

Last year I noticed Eberle wasn’t beating players wide from the blueline in. He was never a fast player, but he was quick, and early in his career he could beat defenders from the top of circles down. Not last year. Did he work on that this summer?

“Yeah, you want to be able to do that and a lot of it has to do with timing. Entering at the right time and having the puck with speed coming over the blueline. Timing is a big adjustment and finding areas within our system where I’m able to get pucks with open space. That is part of it and also the need to get quicker. The young players coming in are so fast and you have to keep up to remain successful,” explained Eberle.

Ironically, Eberle started scoring more goals when he was separated from John Tavares and put on a line with Mathew Barzal.

“Chemistry is something that just doesn’t come. You have success with someone if they play a similar way, but the more you play with someone the better it is going to get. It is just that simple. John (Tavares) and I were playing well together, I just wasn’t finishing as much as I wanted, but he was and we created a lot. Now, with the look we have we have two balanced scoring lines and that is difficult to defend,” said Eberle.

The Islanders top line of Tavares, Josh Bailey and Anders Lee has been excellent. Tavares has 12 goals, while Bailey has 18 points and Lee has 15. They are one of the most dangerous lines in the league and which ever line is out against them tonight will need to be very aware defensively. The Oilers can’t give them any prime scoring chances.

Eberle is skating with the rookie Barzal and veteran Andrew Ladd, and they’ve been quite productive since being put together. Eberle has four goals in his last four games, while Barzal produced five assists his last game. That Reinhart trade looks worse by the day, and considering I was told by two sources the Oilers wouldn’t have selected Barzal with the #15 pick, it is fair to question what the scouting staff was thinking in June of 2015. But I digress.

Eberle is settling in nicely in New York and while he said he originally was going to treat tonight like any other game, when I pressed him he did confess, “I’m sure I’ll do something (up on the board). I got to get the guys going (laughs) and I’m sure there is no better feeling than beating your former team. It will be a fun night,” he said.

Eberle will be excited and the Oilers need to produce a much more engaged effort than the lacklustre performance we saw on Sunday.

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Talbot

McLellan is going with the same lineup who scored six goals versus New Jersey. The entire team was flat against Detroit Sunday afternoon, but wisely the coach is going with the lineup that scored. They likely will need to outscore the Islanders to win this game. What I mean by that is I doubt they can shutdown their offence and win 2-1. Ryan Strome faces his former team for the first time as well. “You have a lot of mixed feelings. It will good to square off against so many good friends. This is an important road trip for our team and hopefully we can have some success tonight,” said Strome this morning.

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Greiss

The Oilers face another “backup” tonight. Greiss has struggled with a .895sv%. At some point the Oilers need to light up a backup goalie. I will have more on that in Quick Hits.

Outside of Eberle, the Islanders have many former Oilers on their bench — head coach Doug Weight along with assistants Kelly Buchberger, and Luke Richardson, and Fred Braithwaite is the goalie coach. Also Jason Chimera will be skating for the Islanders.

Lineups (subject to change) are courtesy of DailyFaceoff.com.

From Eyes on Isles:

GAME DAY PREDICTION: It will be a high-scoring affair with the Oilers squeaking out a 5-4 victory thanks to some shoddy goaltending from Greiss.

OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Eberle scores versus his former team.

NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Zack Kassian scores his first goal of the season and the 100th point of his NHL career.

Take home a growler, a crowler, a sixer, a mixer, whatever. Sherbrooke Liquor. Where’s Your Beer?