Isac Lundestrom was noticeable in the first period, making his return to action after missing 21 games because of a broken finger.

Then he was impactful in the final 40 minutes.

Those, in fact, were two separate things for the Ducks center Thursday night at Columbus.

First off, he was at the wrong end of a massive hit by Columbus rookie defenseman Nick Blankenburg in the first period, landing in the Blue Jackets’ bench. Of course, it didn’t take long for the highlight to hit social media.

Nick Blankenburg (5’9″, 175) sends Isac Lundestrom into the Jackets bench with a huge hit#CBJ pic.twitter.com/qXU0CaSKAF

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) January 20, 2023

The Ducks, trailing 3-0 after one period, were boosted by a goaltending change – John Gibson came in for Anthony Stolarz – but Lundestrom helped jump-start the offense almost immediately in the second period. He won the opening faceoff from Boone Jenner and would later hit Troy Terry with a pass from the neutral zone, and Terry, two on one, found Adam Henrique for the score 22 seconds in.

Anaheim would go on to win 5-3, scoring five unanswered goals. Lundestrom had two assists, his first multi-point effort of the season. He was originally credited with one more assist but there was a scoring change after the game, giving a secondary assist to Henrique, which was his 100th assist with the Ducks.

It was Lundestrom’s first game since suffering a broken finger Dec. 1 at Dallas, and he wasn’t eased back into the lineup, playing 15 minutes, 31 seconds and going 6 for 9 in the faceoff circle.

With rookie Mason McTavish (lower body) missing his first game of the season, Lundestrom’s return was good timing for the Ducks. Lundestrom slid into McTavish’s spot on the first line, centering Henrique and Terry.

It was believed that keeping McTavish out of the lineup was a precautionary move.

The Ducks practiced Friday in Buffalo and McTavish was a full participant, according to the team.

Miller time

Goaltender Ryan Miller, who started his NHL career in Buffalo and finished it with the Ducks, had his No. 30 retired by the Sabres and was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame on Thursday night in a pregame ceremony at KeyBank Center.

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Miller played 11 seasons (540 games) for the Sabres, 19 games with the St. Louis Blues, followed by three seasons with the Vancouver Canucks and four with the Ducks.

He is scheduled to drop the puck – with his 7-year-old son Bodhi – for the ceremonial faceoff before the Sabres-Ducks game in Buffalo on Saturday afternoon.

In Thursday’s ceremony, Miller spoke about the first time he was in the arena, in the summer of 2002, after signing his first pro contract.

“Of course when you look up, you cast your gaze up,” Miller said. “At the time, it was Tim Horton’s number and the French Connection. I was taking it in and I thought, ‘Maybe if I put everything I have into this opportunity – a little bit of fantasy in my mind – maybe I could join them.’”