Quacked: Ducks Spoil John Gibson's Return With 5-2 Win Over Red Wings
Their three-game winning streak was halted after they were defeated by the Anaheim Ducks by a 5-2 final score at Honda Center, spoiling goaltender John Gibson's return to the venue he called home for 12 seasons.
Road trip continues Sunday in San Jose.
Ducks forward Troy Terry scored twice and added an assist, while Mason McTavish scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the second period just seconds after Detroit had a would-be tying goal from Moritz Seider called back due to an alleged distinct kicking motion.
The Red Wings were victimized while on the power-play for the scond straight game, as the ice was broken by Terry in the opening 20 minutes with a shorthanded marker.
Detroit responded courtesy of a goal from Lucas Raymond on the same power-play, knotting the score at 1-1.
While the Ducks took a 2-1 lead thanks to Leo Carlsson's fifth goal of the season later in the period, Detroit appeared to have secured the game-tying goal from Moritz Seider in the game's middle frame.
However, following a video review, Seider was ruled to have intentionally kicked the puck into the net. Just seconds later, McTavish would extend the lead to 3-1.
Alex DeBrincat managed to stay red hot for the Red Wings, scoring his fourth goal in as many games, which at the time brought Detroit back to within a goal.
But Anaheim would restore the two-goal lead early in the third period after first-year Anaheim forward Chris Kreider's goal withstood a video review after Gibson appeared to intentionally knock the net off its moorings.
Terry added an insurance tally late in regulation with Gibson on the bench for an extra attacker.
Gibson finished with 27 saves on the 31 shots he saw, while his former Ducks teammate Lukas Dostal countered with 26 saves.
The Red Wings will continue their road trip on Sunday evening with a tilt against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center.
Red Wings' Alex DeBrincat Erupts For 7 Points in 4 Games After Scoring Slump
After a slow start to the season, Detroit Red Wings winger Alex DeBrincat has erupted onto the scoreboard, proving why he remains one of the NHL’s premier offensive threats. The winger went scoreless in the first eight games of the year, leaving fans and analysts wondering when or if he would find his rhythm. That question has been answered emphatically over the past week.
DeBrincat has now scored in four straight games and recorded three consecutive multi-point performances, fueling a five-game point streak. Over the last seven days, he has tallied four goals and three assists for seven points across four games, ranking him among the hottest players in the league. He trails just Ottawa’s Drake Batherson, who leads the week with nine points, including four goals and five assists.
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Overall this season, DeBrincat has recorded four goals and a team-leading ten assists for 14 points in 12 games, second only to captain Dylan Larkin’s 17 points in the same number of contests. The 26-year-old forward is building on one of his best seasons in years, coming off a 39-goal, 31-assist campaign for 70 points, which marked his highest goal output since the 2021-22 season when he scored 41 goals.
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Consistently a point-per-game producer, DeBrincat has regularly hovered in the 70 to 80 point range. If the Red Wings maintain their current hot streak, he has a real shot at challenging his career-high 78 points from 2021-22. With his scoring touch back and his playmaking ability on full display, DeBrincat is quickly reasserting himself as the engine of Detroit’s offense.
