Red Wings Soar Past Ducks 6-3 to End Three-Game Skid
In an electrifying Thursday night matchup at Little Caesars Arena, the Detroit Red Wings snapped their three-game losing streak with a decisive 6-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on November 13, 2025.
Game Flow and Scoring Summary
After a scoreless first period that saw tight checking from both sides, the game erupted in the second period with five combined goals. Moritz Seider opened the scoring 5:57 into the middle frame, threading a power play goal through traffic after Mason McTavish was whistled for his third penalty of the game. The Ducks responded quickly when Cutter Gauthier, playing in his 100th NHL game, struck on a 2-on-1 rush to net his team-leading 12th goal of the season.
Michael Rasmussen restored Detroit’s lead before Chris Kreider equalized again with a beautiful finish off a behind-the-back pass from Brayden LaCombe. Just before the period ended, rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka gave the Red Wings a 3-2 lead with only his second career NHL goal.
The Red Wings took firm control in the third period. Alex DeBrincat extended Detroit’s lead just 50 seconds into the final frame, batting home a power play goal from the slot off a Seider shot. Although Mikael Granlund pulled one back for Anaheim, Dylan Larkin responded with a goal on a 2-on-0 breakaway before DeBrincat sealed the win with an empty-netter.
Standout Performances
Alex DeBrincat was the star of the night, recording two goals and an assist. The performance continued his remarkable career success against Anaheim, bringing his totals to an impressive 18 goals and 33 points in just 20 career games against the Ducks.
Moritz Seider excelled on both ends of the ice with a goal and an assist while quarterbacking a resurgent Detroit power play that had been struggling, going just 1-for-20 during the previous five games.
Several Red Wings registered multi-point nights, with Dylan Larkin (1G, 1A), Jonatan Berggren (2A), Patrick Kane (2A), and Lucas Raymond (2A) all making significant contributions to the offensive output.
For Anaheim, Cutter Gauthier continued his impressive rookie campaign with his 12th goal, though Leo Carlsson saw his 11-game point streak come to an end.
Key Moments and Game Changers
The game featured several pivotal moments that swung the momentum in Detroit’s favor:
- Special Teams Revival: After struggling mightily on the power play in recent games, Detroit’s success with the man advantage proved critical, with both Seider and DeBrincat converting power play opportunities.
- Gibson’s Injury: Ducks starting goaltender John Gibson left the game after two periods with an undisclosed injury, forcing Cam Talbot into relief duty. The goaltending change seemed to disrupt Anaheim’s rhythm at a critical juncture.
- Quick Third Period Strike: DeBrincat’s power play goal just 50 seconds into the third period built a two-goal cushion that Anaheim could never overcome.
- Sandin-Pellikka’s Breakthrough: The rookie defenseman’s go-ahead goal late in the second period energized the home crowd and gave Detroit momentum heading into the final frame.
Game Context and Atmosphere
A sellout crowd of 19,515 packed Little Caesars Arena, creating an electric atmosphere as the Red Wings looked to bounce back from a disappointing 5-1 loss to Chicago on Sunday. The victory improved Detroit’s home record to an impressive 6-3-0 and bumped their overall record to 10-7-0, keeping them firmly in the Atlantic Division playoff race.
For the Ducks, the loss was their second straight after an impressive seven-game winning streak. Their record now stands at 11-5-1, still good enough for first place in the Pacific Division.
The game marked the second and final meeting between these two teams this season, with each team winning on home ice to split the season series 1-1.
Both teams will be back in action on Saturday night, with the Red Wings hosting Buffalo while Anaheim continues their road trip against Minnesota.
Photos: Tim Jarrold – In Play! magazine
