NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Duclair recorded a hat trick for the first time in more than six years, Ilya Sorokin stopped all 45 shots he faced in his return from injury and the New York Islanders handed the New Jersey Devils a second consecutive defeat, routing them 9-0 on Tuesday night.
Back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch the past two games, Duclair scored three goals in a row during a stretch from 4:01 into the first period to 3:29 into the second
and also had two assists for a five-point game. His fourth hat trick in the NHL was his first since Dec. 14, 2019, four teams ago when he was with the Ottawa Senators.
Sorokin was exceptional, showing no rust in his first game action since Dec. 19 as he became the franchise's career shutout leader with his 26th. He had been out with what the Islanders called a nagging lower-body injury.
At the other end of the rink, Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom allowed goals on the first two shots he faced — from Mat Barzal and Duclair — and three on five, finishing with nine on 24. His teammates had little bounce back after losing at home to Carolina on Sunday in a game in which young defenseman Luke Hughes twice put the puck into his own net.
New Jersey has lost six of its past eight games. The Islanders have won two in a row and five of seven to keep pace with the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes.
No. 1 pick and rookie of the year frontrunner Matthew Schaefer has points in four consecutive games. Schaefer, still playing sick after scoring the overtime winner Saturday night while battling the flu, had an assist on Barzal's goal 62 seconds in.
Simon Holmstrom, Casey Cizikas, Tony DeAngelo and Cal Ritchie also scored for New York.
Devils: Visit Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
Islanders: Begin a seven-game road trip Thursday night at Nashville.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
