Red Wings Offense Ignites in 6–3 Thrashing of Ducks, Snapping Three-Game Skid
DETROIT, MI — The Detroit Red Wings finally gave their fans something to cheer about, snapping a frustrating three-game losing streak with a loud and lively 6–3 win over the Anaheim Ducks at Little Caesars Arena on Friday night. With the offense roaring back to life, a milestone for a future Hall of Famer, and production coming from all corners of the lineup, the Wings delivered the kind of bounce-back effort this fanbase badly needed.
Before the game, I checked the playoff standings and saw that the Wings were just outside the cut line of making the playoffs, had they started then. Why do I do such silly things in November? Well, wins and losses early in the season matter come April. The Wings have been on the edge of the playoffs the last two seasons, and they can’t afford to waste home ice wins at any point.
So, yes, this win went a long way to stop the tide, ending the losing streak in what was a complete game by the boys in red and white.
DeBrincat and Kane Spark the Outburst
After being outscored 10–2 during their losing skid, Detroit exploded for six goals — led by Alex DeBrincat, who bagged two and added an assist for his first multi-goal performance of the year. It was also his sixth multi-point night of the season. Speaking afterward, DeBrincat kept the focus simple: “For us this week, it was getting in the goalie’s eyes, getting in front of the net and working hard there. I thought we did a good job of that, but we got to keep that up and make it hard on their goalies.”
Patrick Kane joined the party with two assists, pushing him to a massive career milestone: 1,350 career points, passing Hall of Famer Mats Sundin for 31st on the NHL’s all-time scoring list. In a game full of highlights, that one deserves a moment.
A Full-Lineup Response
Just as encouraging as the scoreboard was where the goals came from. Moritz Seider opened the night with a power-play strike and later added an assist. Captain Dylan Larkin delivered a multi-point effort of his own, including a clutch two-on-one goal that turned momentum back in Detroit’s favor.
Michael Rasmussen also stepped into the spotlight, scoring in what head coach Todd McLellan called his best performance of the season. “I thought Ras played his best game of the season today for a lot of different reasons,” McLellan said. “He looked confident, big, strong, held onto pucks, was physical… We need that going forward night after night because he can play that way.”
Rookie defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka continued to shine as well, netting his second goal of the year, while Lucas Raymond and Jonatan Berggren each chipped in a pair of assists to round out a balanced, confident attack.
Goaltending Tandem Delivers
John Gibson, facing his former team for the first time, stopped 15 of 17 shots before exiting after the second period with an upper-body injury. Cam Talbot took over in the third and was steady, turning aside 10 of 11 shots to lock down the win. McLellan noted after the game that Gibson will be evaluated further.
Key Takeaways and What’s Next
The win was meaningful beyond the scoreboard: it marked the first time since the 2010–11 season that Detroit has reached the 10-win mark within its first 17 games. The struggling power play also found life, converting twice against Anaheim — a trend the Wings hope continues.
Now comes the quick turnaround. Detroit wraps up its four-game homestand Saturday night in a key Atlantic Division matchup against the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabers handled them easily in their last meeting, beating the Wings 4-2. If Detroit wants to stack points and climb the standings, they’ll need the same blend of offensive pressure, defensive commitment, and depth scoring they finally rediscovered against the Ducks.
The day after, they travel to New York to take on the Rangers, who won 4-1 in their last meeting in Detroit.
It’s good to see the team rebound from their scoring drought— let’s hope they carry their offensive output into the weekend.
🐙 Detroit Red Wings — Red Wings Wheelhouse
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Info gathered from team reports, pressers & trusted Michigan outlets — the way we always do it at Mitten Sports Talk.
