John Gibson’s return to Anaheim didn’t go as well as Gibson or the Red Wings would have liked.

Traded to the Wings in June, Gibson made his first start in the city he starred in for 12 seasons, but the Ducks got the last laugh with a 5-2 victory Friday night.

The loss ended a three-game win streak for the Wings, who fell to 8-4-0. Anaheim moved to 6-3-1.

The Ducks’ organization recognized Gibson with an emotional video presentation, and fans cheered warmly for one of the most popular players in Ducks’ history.

Earlier tonight we paid tribute to one of the best goalies in franchise history, John Gibson, as he gave a heartfelt acknowledgement to the Honda Center crowd during a rousing ovation.#FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/EOWMF9HIk1

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) November 1, 2025

But Gibson and the Wings were on the wrong end of two video challenges that could have changed the tone of the game.

Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat (power play) scored for the Wings.

“We gave ourselves a lot of trouble out there,” Raymond told reporters afterward. “A lot of self-inflicted stuff.”

BOX SCORE: Ducks 5, Red Wings 2

DeBrincat’s goal stretched his goal-scoring streak to four consecutive games (points in five games). Raymond found DeBrincat alone in front and made a quick move to beat goaltender Lukas Dostal (26 saves) at 15:25, cutting Anaheim’s lead to 3-2.

But Chris Kreider’s power-play goal 55 seconds into the third period, restored the two-goal lead for Anaheim. Kreider backhanded a shot into a net that Gibson (who made 27 saves) moved of its moorings after losing his balance. The goal was reviewed and was deemed a good goal, giving Anaheim a 4-2 lead.

Troy Terry opened Anaheim’s scoring with a shorthanded goal, then scored an empty net goal to clinch the victory. Leo Carlsson (who had three assists), and Mason McTavish added Ducks goals.

“Our bodies wanted to go but our brains didn’t, and that cost us,” coach Todd McLellan said. “You have to play smart hockey and we didn’t do that.”

Terry opened the game’s scoring at 4:53 of the first period, as the Wings allowed their second shorthanded goal in two games. But Raymond answered with his third goal, at 8:19, on a nifty passing play. DeBrincat found Dylan Larkin, who saw Raymond streaking down wing and Raymond buried a shot past Dostal.

Carlsson gave Anaheim a 2-1 lead at 12:24 of the first period, his fifth goal, converting an odd-man rush off a Terry pass, after the Wings saw a rush broken up at the other end.

“We didn’t come out the way we wanted,” said Raymond, of another sluggish Wings’ first period.

The Wings appeared to tie the game early in the second period on a Moritz Seider goal. But the Ducks challenged Seider kicked the puck – a close call, to be sure – but officials ruled Seider did, keeping the game 2-1.

Only to see Anaheim take a 3-1 lead on McTavish’s second goal, at 6:35 of the second period, cutting through the slot.

The Wings play the third game in this five-game road trip Sunday in San Jose.

tkulfan@detroitnews.com

@tkulfan

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