Red Wings Crumble in Third Period, Fall 6–3 to Predators
Well, I think I’ve cracked the code: if you’re riding a three-game losing streak, all you need is a date with the Detroit Red Wings. First it was New Jersey the other night. This time it was the Nashville Predators sending the Wings a thank-you card for the hospitality. Fitting, isn’t it? Thanksgiving Eve and Detroit out here serving up momentum like leftovers.
Home ice is supposed to be the place where the Red Wings settle in, protect the house, build a little confidence, and roll into the holiday weekend feeling good. Instead, it turned into a full-blown letdown. After taking a 2–1 lead into the third, Detroit completely unraveled, giving up five goals in the final period and dropping a frustrating 6–3 decision.
And what makes it sting even more? Todd McLellan has been hammering home the importance of learning how to play with a lead. Detroit had control. They had the cushion. They had the building behind them. Then — poof — it vanished in the final 20 minutes.
📊 Wings vs. Predators — Stat Capsule
Final: Predators 6, Red Wings 3
After 2: Detroit led 2–1
Third Period Goals: NSH 5, DET 1
Trending Players – Red Wings:
- Alex DeBrincat: 1 G, now 8 goals in his last 8 games
- Ben Chiarot: 1 G, physical all night
- J.T. Compher: 600th career game, 1 assist
Trending Players – Predators:
- Ryan O’Reilly: GWG, veteran impact
- Erik Haula: 1 G, dagger less than 30 seconds after the O’Reilly goal
- Steven Stamkos: EN goal, sealed it
Team Notes:
- Wings surrendered two goals in 15 seconds to start the third
- Nashville scored 5 goals in the final period
- Detroit’s defensive coverage collapsed late
The Game That Slipped Away
Nashville opened the scoring, but Detroit responded well in the second period.
Alex DeBrincat stayed red-hot, ripping home his 8th goal in 8 games on the power play to tie things at 1–1.
Then James van Riemsdyk buried a rebound to give the Wings a 2–1 lead heading into the intermission.
Then came the disaster.
The Predators struck twice — 15 seconds apart — early in the third to flip the game instantly.
To Detroit’s credit, Ben Chiarot answered just a minute later to tie it 3–3, giving the Wings a chance to regain control.
But they never did.
With under six minutes left, Ryan O’Reilly scored the eventual game-winner.
Seconds later, Erik Haula added another.
And when Steven Stamkos slid in an empty-netter, any hope of a late push evaporated.
Cam Talbot made 22 saves, but the defensive coverage in front of him completely fell apart when it mattered most.
A bright spot: J.T. Compher played in his 600th career NHL game, battling through an illness and picking up an assist on Chiarot’s goal.
Lineup Shuffles & Roster Moves
Before the puck even dropped, the Red Wings were busy.
- Elmer Soderblom was activated from IR.
- Michael Rasmussen was placed on IR retroactive to Nov. 20.
- Marco Kasper was bumped to the second line with Kane and DeBrincat.
- Jonatan Berggren shifted to the fourth line to create more depth scoring.
There were flashes where the tweaks worked, but the collapse overshadowed the good.
Looking Ahead
Thankfully for Detroit, there’s no time to dwell.
The Wings return to LCA on Friday to host the Tampa Bay Lightning at noon, and they’ll need:
- Defensive stability
- Cleaner breakouts
- Consistent effort for a full 60 minutes
The third-period collapse vs. Nashville can’t become a trend — not with Tampa in town and the standings tightening.
Frustrating game for sure. What or who do you blame for this latest loss? Drop a comment below or join the conversation in the Red Wings Wheelhouse — where fans break down every game, every angle.
Info gathered from team reports, pressers & trusted media outlets — the way we always do it at Mitten Sports Talk.
