Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings Haunted Again by Ghosts of December Past

Published

1 year ago

December 20, 2022

Nate Brown

The coming Christmas season is one synonymous with good will and glad tidings. It’s been anything but that for the Detroit Red Wings in December.

In fact, it’s almost as if they’re being visited by the same fearful ghosts of December’s past.

The Red Wings dropped their sixth straight game, this time a 4-3 overtime loss that saw Detroit surrender two leads, including an early two-goal advantage. The corner it appeared the Red Wings were turning has proven to be a brick wall they’ve skated into.

Early Signs of Red Wings Success Disappearing

Last year, the season started unraveling in late December before completely falling apart in the second half of the season. Exactly a year ago, Detroit was 15-13-3, their season paused due to a Covid breakout. Ironically, it was Washington that would hand them their final loss of 2021 and from there, Detroit would go through a brutal stretch.

In the final nine games of December, the Red Wings went 3-6.

Recent history hasn’t been any kinder to the Red Wings. They were spared from a December swoon due to an abbreviated season during the 2021-22 campaign, but fans may want to shield their eyes at the previous two season.

Three seasons ago in 2019-20, the Red Wings went 3-9 through the final month of the year. As the rebuild was truly kicking off in 2018, the Red Wings staggered to a 4-12 mark in December.

As it stands now, Detroit is 13-11-7 amidst the six-game losing streak. December has come back to haunt Detroit once more.

Though it is certainly disheartening for fans to see the fall off, there were signs of hope in the loss to Washington.

Lucas Raymond finally found the net, notching his first goal since December 4 and just his third in over a month. David Perron and Oskar Sundqvist each scored, again showcasing the depth Detroit does have. Ville Husso once more bailed the Red Wings out when they needed it, turning aside 38 of 42 shots. Detroit only registered 19 shots of its own.

Lucas Raymond gets his 8th of the year. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/OWqYWI6auC

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 20, 2022

A Break May Be Just What Detroit Needs

There are two games remaining for the Red Wings before the holiday break: one against Tampa Bay on Wednesday at home and then a road trip to Ottawa on Friday. It was a 4-2 win over Tampa Bay two weeks ago that serves as Detroit’s last victory.

From there, it’s five days off to either try and maintain momentum or distance themselves from what could be an eight-game skid.

Winning even one of the two would go a long way to chasing some the ghosts of December’s past away. Regardless, Detroit has still been better this season but they’re still a few strides a way from putting it all together.

Some has been due to injury. Other times, just bad luck.

But December continues to be a month that tortures Detroit.