Red Wings May Finally Understand How They Need to Play

It’s as if the Detroit Red Wings don’t want to talk about their game coming together, like members of a baseball team don’t say anything when their pitcher is working on a no-hitter.

“When we came off after the game, I said, maybe we’re finally getting it tonight based on the start,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said.

All indications are the Red Wings started to sort out their issues. Today, they are a different team than they were at the end of last month. They were 4-1-1 on a six-game road trip, and Tuesday’s 3-2 win against the New York Islanders feels like a statement win. The importance of this win has added heft because the Islanders are the No. 6 team overall in the NHL and had beaten Detroit twice by a cumulative score of 12-2.

“Started in Boston, really,” McLellan said. “I don’t know how many games ago that is now. It’s a while, but just when you think you got it, though, you can’t give it back.”

The Red Wings do think they understand how McLellan want them to play, even if no one wants to talk much about it.

Reclaim First Place

Detroit is 6-1-1 in its last eight and a 19-12-3 record allows the Red Wings to sit atop the Atlantic Division standings.

Against the Islanders, the Red Wings trailed 1-0 going into the third period, went ahead 2-1 on goals by Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Alex DeBrincat, gave up a tying goal and got a game-winner from DeBrincat.

They kept their poise throughout the game.

“I talked about needing to find a way to skate our way into the game,” DeBrincat said. “Giving up a goal and not crumbling. Staying patient enough to give ourselves a chance to score, even in the third period. Not panicking after they make it 2-2. Not a lot of panic or fire drill when (the Islanders pulled their goalie and) it was six on five. We handled ourselves well there, so maybe we’re starting to get it. That’s a real good thing for all of us.”

ASP! ASP! 🤩

Axel Sandin-Pellikka does it himself to tie it for the @DetroitRedWings! pic.twitter.com/ipI0tNLvyq

— NHL (@NHL) December 17, 2025

This game was a perfect example of the Red Wings managing the game in a way they can be successful. The maturation of Sandin-Pellikka’s game has been a major part of the team transformation. He beat New York goalie Ilya Soroken with a wicked shot under the bar while skating in from the boards to tie the game 1-1.

The 20-year-old Swede has five points and is plus-seven in his past five games.

“He’s now spent enough time to understand the pace of the game, the size of the players, the intensity, momentum, all those types of things,” McLellan said. ” He’s defending better and usually when to defend better, you’re not using up your gas tank, if you will, in the D zone, and you have more energy to do what you do offensively, and we’ve been able to see that from him as well.”

John Gibson, voted the NHL’s No. 2 for his play last week, has now won six games in a row. He has given up 12 goals in those victories.