TORONTO — Eight weeks later, the biggest piece still missing from the Islanders’ puzzle finally clicked back into place.
Anthony Duclair made his long-awaited return to the Isles lineup Saturday in Toronto, picking up an assist as the Islanders defeated the Maple Leafs, 6-3.
The victory marked the team’s first game with a healthy forward group since Duclair’s Oct. 19 injury.
It came not a moment too soon, as the Islanders put together one of their most complete efforts of the season, which did not feel like a coincidence as they finally fielded a complete lineup.
“Felt good. Obviously tough to come back after nine weeks, but I felt pretty good overall,” Duclair told The Post after skating 15:14 on a line with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri. “New linemates, trying to find the chemistry early. I think we had a good first period. Everyone was moving well. Definitely nice to come back and get a win for sure.”
With Mike Reilly (heart) and Semyon Varlamov (lower body) still out, the Islanders aren’t yet 100 percent healthy, but after two months in the wilderness, this counted as close enough.
It’s suspected that Duclair’s injury — officially a lower-body injury — was to his groin.
He was medically cleared last week but said pregame he wanted to get in more practice time before coming back in.
“Once I fell, I knew something was wrong,” Duclair said of his injury. “Something I’d never felt before. Right when I got into the locker room — I couldn’t skate off on my own — I knew something was going on. Obviously, didn’t know the timeline. When I got the news, it was devastating.
“Only played five games and the season just started. Felt like I was starting to play well, starting to build chemistry, gain confidence, and something like that happens. It’s out of my control. I’m just happy to be back.”
Now he’s back, and the Islanders finally have the lineup they envisioned months ago.
“He was quick on those loose pucks,” coach Patrick Roy said of Duclair. “I thought he was very helpful to Nelson’s line. And I think the more they’re gonna play together, the more comfortable they’re gonna feel.”
Isaiah George came back into the lineup on the third pair with Scott Mayfield after sitting the past two games and scored his first NHL goal.
Dennis Cholowski was made a healthy scratch.
Though Roy left the door open to starting Marcus Hogberg at some point, Ilya Sorokin was in nets for a 10th straight game, making 26 saves.
Pierre Engvall was a lineup casualty of Duclair returning, being made a healthy scratch against his old team, the Maple Leafs.