Yes, The Red Wings Won . . . But Let’s Not Get Too Carried Away

If you just checked the final score and saw that the Detroit Red Wings beat the Boston Bruins 5-4 on Tuesday, it probably made you smile.

However, if you watched the game, there’s a good chance it gave you another bout of indigestion.

If the Red Wings had a team slogan, it might be: Prosperity does not rest lightly on our shoulders.

As much as it was important for the Wings to win a game – their first in five tries – it’s equally vital to keep in mind the manner in which that victory was fashioned.

Textbook pic.twitter.com/XYaWKvSa8n

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 3, 2025

By yet again seeking to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

It was 5-2 Detroit with five minutes remaining in regulation time. The Red Wings had the game well in hand. And then they didn’t.

Sound at all familiar?

“We’re in control of the game,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. “And that, again, is, for me, game management, understanding situations.”

Gibson Gets First Win For Red Wings Since October

This should’ve been a day of celebration for the Red Wings as they prepare to embark on a six-game road trip. Instead, it’s another day for reflection. This win wasn’t punctuated by exultation as much as it was by a sigh of relief.

“We had a little bit of cushion, but, you know, a few mistakes end up making it a closer game than it should have been,” Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat said.

Goaltender John Gibson won for the first time since October 28. He’d gone 0-5-1 with an .856 save percentage and 3.93 GAA. But even in victory, for the ninth time in 14 appearances and the fourth game in a row, he was fishing at least four pucks out of his net.

Long-term, that’s not a recipe for success.

Chiarot makes it 4-2! #LGRW pic.twitter.com/6dKC2FX8ZE

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 3, 2025

Yes, it was a much-needed victory. And yet, there’s still much in need of fixing with this team before anyone can even suggest that they are beginning to turn the corner toward respectability.

“I think we still have work to do as a team,” McLellan said.

The Red Wings remain a work in progress. Until there are consistent signs that they are progressing in the lessons they must learn, expecting any progression up the standings is out of the question.