Jordan Eberle (upper-body injury) willing to tough it out and play
Canadiens goaltender Carey Price and defenseman Jordie Benn stop the Islanders' Jordan Eberle from scoring on a wraparound during the first period of a game Thursday in Montreal. Credit: AP/Paul Chiasson
MONTREAL — Jordan Eberle played through the pain.
The right wing arguably was the Islanders’ most effective forward — in relative terms — in Thursday night’s 4-0 loss to the Canadiens at Bell Centre. He didn’t miss any time despite being listed as day-to-day with an unspecified upper-body injury suffered in Tuesday night’s 5-0 loss to the Bruins at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum.
Eberle had three shots in 16:37 and forced Canadiens goalie Carey Price to make his best save. He came out to cut down the angle on Eberle at the left post, leading to a transition goal the other way as Jonathan Drouin made it 3-0 at 6:00 of the second period.
Eberle, who was unable to practice on Wednesday, finished Tuesday’s game after the Islanders lost center Valtteri Filppula, out for four weeks with an apparent left shoulder injury, and Cal Clutterbuck, who practiced on Wednesday and logged 14:02 on Thursday.
“It was something that happened in the second period,” Eberle said. “We were down so many numbers, it was tough to even consider leaving. It’s part of the game. You play through injuries. You play through soreness. We’re on the cusp of trying to clinch a playoff spot.”
Eberle, 28, an impending unrestricted free agent as he concludes a six-year, $36 million deal, has 14 goals and 17 assists. He likely will finish with his fewest points in an 82-game season since he had 18 goals and 25 assists as a rookie in 2010-11.
“We need some offense from Jordan,” coach Barry Trotz said. “He hasn’t had a big-time productive year like he’s had in the past. But this is a great time to get it going.”
Montreal Canadiens' Jeff Petry gets tangled up with New York Islanders' Anthony Beauvillier during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 21, 2019, in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP) Credit: AP/Paul Chiasson
Beau’s home
Left wing Anthony Beauvillier, 21, who grew up a Canadiens fan in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, about 50 miles from Montreal, went without a shot and was a minus-2 in 13:24 in his fourth NHL game at Bell Centre. He scored a goal in both a 5-4 overtime win on Jan. 15, 2018, and a 3-0 victory on Feb. 23, 2017. “It’s always fun coming here and seeing friends and family the night before,” Beauvillier said. “It’s so exciting just walking into the building. I used to cheer for the Habs.”
College signing
The Islanders signed 6-3, 209-pound defenseman Grant Hutton of Miami (Ohio) to a one-year, entry-level deal for 2019-20. The 23-year-old from Carmel, Indiana, will report to Bridgeport (AHL) on an amateur tryout offer after capping four seasons of college hockey with seven goals and 14 assists as the team’s captain.
Isles files
Tanner Fritz was a minus-1 with one shot in 12:42 as he centered the third line in Filppula’s absence after being recalled from Bridgeport (AHL) on Wednesday. “It’s unfortunate Fil went down like that. He’s such a great player,” said Fritz, who has one assist in four games for the Islanders this season and three goals and five assists in 39 career NHL games. “I’m just looking to take advantage of the opportunity.’’ . . . Ds Johnny Boychuk, Luca Sbisa and Dennis Seidenberg and Fs Michael Dal Colle, Ross Johnston and Tom Kuhnhackl were healthy scratches.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
