Islanders' 9-goal night! Anthony Duclair records hat trick and Ilya Sorokin sets franchise shutout mark.

Anthony Duclair’s time with the Islanders has not gone the way either the well-traveled wing or the organization expected.

It’s been a struggle, from an injury-plagued first season that ended with him taking a leave of absence and needing to repair his relationship with coach Patrick Roy during the offseason to being a healthy scratch the previous two games and in three of the last five matches.

“You know what? Dukey deserved tonight,” Mathew Barzal said. “He comes to the rink every day with a smile on his face.”

Everything went right on Tuesday night, as Duclair’s natural hat trick was part of his career-high, five-point game to power a 9-0-win over the Devils at UBS Arena that also saw Ilya Sorokin return from a seven-game absence for a lower-body injury to make 44 saves and set the franchise record with his 26th career shutout.

“I’m going to start with Anthony,” coach Patrick Roy said. “I know it was hard for him to be a healthy scratch the last couple of games so I’m happy to see the way he bounced back tonight. I always thought he had a great shot and tonight he showed it.”

“Keep shooting, that’s the main thing,” said Duclair, who took three shots in 13:41 and was the first Islander to be a plus-six since 1983. “[Roy and I] have had some really good talks over the year, especially the last few weeks and I totally understand where he’s coming from. Whenever I get the opportunity, I just want to make the most of it.”

The romp served as a perfect send-off for the Islanders (24-15-4) as they open a seven-game road trip Thursday night in Nashville.

Sorokin broke a tie with Chico Resch — in the building as the Devils’ radio analyst — for the shutout mark.

“I was a little nervous because I wasn’t playing for two weeks,” said Sorokin, who stopped multiple point-blank shots as the Devils had a 17-5 edge in high-danger chances according to NaturalStatTrick.com.

“I was a little bit not in my game the first couple of minutes but, after the shots, I started to feel confidence and the guys helped me by scoring a lot tonight.

“It’s good memories,” Sorokin said of setting the team record. “But, first of all it’s teamwork. Without my teammates, I have nothing.”

Said Duclair, “It’s not 9-0 without him.”

Duclair, who signed a four-year, $14 million deal with the Islanders — his ninth NHL stop — to be a top-six forward, has instead spent most of his playing time this season in the bottom six. He started Tuesday’s match on Casey Cizikas’ fourth line with Kyle MacLean.

He completed his fourth hat trick — his first since Dec. 14, 2019 with the Senators — on a one-timer from the right circle off Barzal’s feed to make it 4-0 at 3:29 of the second period.

The last Islander to score a hat trick after not playing the previous game was Hall of Famer Mike Bossy in 1983.

“It’s huge,” said Duclair, whose mother attended the game. “I’m very thankful for all the fans that threw their hats. It’s a great feeling.”

Both of Duclair’s first-period goals came off transition rushes. He made it 2-0 at 4:01 of the first period as he led a three-on-one rush after defenseman Adam Pelech chipped the puck out of the Islanders’ zone. Duclair connected again from the left at 13:31 and he had not had a multi-goal game since notching two for the Sharks on March 5, 2024. He was traded to the Lightning two days later.

Jacob Markstrom stopped 15 shots for the Devils (22-19-2), who have lost all three games to the Islanders this season.

Cizikas scored twice in the third period and added an assist, Barzal had a goal and two assists and Cal Ritchie, Simon Holmstrom and defenseman Tony DeAngelo also added goals.

Notes & quotes: Bo Horvat (lower body) missed his second game but Roy said he would travel with the Islanders for the road trip . . . Defenseman Ryan Pulock’s two assists gave him 233 career points to move him past Kenny Jonsson for fifth in Islanders’ history among defensemen . . . Defenseman Cole McWard, 24, playing his second game for the Islanders and eighth NHL game, notched his first career assist on Duclair’s second goal.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

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.