EDMONTON, Alberta _ Taylor Hall was cheered early, booed later and his return to his former NHL home ended as yet another loss for the Devils.
Leon Draisaitl's goal off a two on one with Connor McDavid was the winner at 1:50 of overtime as the Oilers beat the Devils, starting a four-game road trip, 3-2, on Thursday night at Rogers Place.
The Devils (16-18-9) were outshot 34-18, including 16-5 over the third period and overtime. The Oilers (22-15-7) also won at New Jersey, 2-1, in overtime Saturday.
The Devils next play at Calgary on Friday night.
Hall went from returning favorite son to disliked enemy player after he decked Zack Kassian at center ice at 2:45 of the third period. Once Kassian regained his skates, he went after his former teammate and received a roughing minor despite dropping his gloves and hitting Hall in the face.
But Hall drew a four-minute double minor for high sticking and some boos.
Hall briefly had a goal before the scoring was rightfully changed. Either way, it gave the Devils a 2-1 lead at 19:09 of the second period.
Hall, high in the slot, swiped a puck toward the crease that Santini, at the right post, tipped passed Cam Talbot. Hall was initially credited with the goal but it was switched to Santini, the 21-year-old rookie from Mahopac, N.Y. who scored his first NHL goal.
The tribute video for Hall came at 7:50 of the first period, a somewhat-surprisingly short montage welcoming the former first-overall pick in 2010 back to Edmonton. Still, Hall was afforded a standing ovation and, in turn, he waved to the crowd and then applauded them back.
"I went to dinner with a couple of guys [on Wednesday]," Hall said. "You build friendships. That's the worst part of the business side of hockey, is how you have to move away from friends. At the same time, you make new ones and my team here has been great in accepting me in and bringing me in as a new guy.
"I love the city of Edmonton and I loved playing here," Hall added. "But the success we didn't have here probably limits that a little bit."
The Oilers did not make the playoffs during Hall's six seasons with the team.
The Devils opened the scoring at 18:06 of the first period as Travis Zajac, at the left post, tucked in the puck following Kyle Palmieri's backhanded wraparound attempt.
The Oilers, though, responded quickly in the second period as, off the opening faceoff, they gained the zone and Andrej Sekera was allowed to skate free through the slot, beating an unscreened Cory Schneider just 16 seconds in.
Patrick Maroon, parked at the crease, pushed the puck underneath the goalie to tie the game at 2 at 12:36 of the third period after Schneider gave up a rebound on McDavid's shot.
Still, Schneider allowed more than two goals for just the second time in his last six starts after a stretch in which he allowed four or more goals in nine of 13 starts.
He said his improved play is tied into the Devils' defenders limiting odd-man rushes and opportunities around the crease.
"It all goes hand in hand, your relationship with your defensemen and the team," Schneider said. "When they know what to expect from you, it makes their lives easier. And when you know what to expect from them, it makes your life easier. I think we just had a little disconnect where maybe they didn't necessarily trust me or couldn't rely on me to make the saves I needed to make and it was the other way around with me where it was, 'All right, are we going to give up rushes tonight?' "
