The Detroit Red Wings weren't a good team in November, finishing 5-7-2 with just 35 goals scored. One reason is that they had a tough time getting anything going in the first period, which set the stage for the rest of their game.
But you might not realize how bad things had gotten for the Wings, as they were the worst team in the NHL during the first period in November. Throughout their 14 games, the Wings scored just five times in the first frame.
And if you want more fun, they were the worst in the NHL by three goals, with the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Seattle Kraken being the second-worst teams, respectively, scoring eight times in the first frame. The Calgary Flames scored nine times, and the rest of the league hit double digits.
Do the math, and seven teams in the NHL scored between five and nine goals in the first frame, and six of those teams scored eight or nine times. That puts the Red Wings nearly off the charts in how bleak that number is, and it simply can't happen if they want to finally end this playoff drought.
First period woes have been a recurring theme for the Detroit Red Wings all season
This is nothing new for the Wings, as they had 11 first-period goals in October and November 2025 combined, which still ranked 32nd in the league. But, unlike in November, they got their act together in the second and third periods, which was why they led the Atlantic Division in the standings for a while there.
Yet as they proved in November, the Wings can't always rely on a good final 40 minutes if they're going to play consistent hockey. They need to exorcise those first-period demons and not get behind the eight-ball so often. If they do that, then the Wings will start playing a more consistent game in December.
There is a glimmer of hope for the Red Wings' first period struggles
In Tuesday's win over the Boston Bruins, the Red Wings scored twice in the first frame. James van Riemsdyk opened the scoring at the 6:52 mark, and Moritz Seider followed it up at 13:49. Early in the second frame at the 1:35 mark, Alex DeBrincat scored to make it 3-0 Red Wings.
Had he scored that goal in the first period, the Wings would have already been 60 percent of the way to the number of goals scored in the first period in November. And there's more good news for the Wings, given the slate of games coming up on their road trip.
The Wings will kick it off on Dec. 4 against the Columbus Blue Jackets before playing the Seattle Kraken, two mediocre teams clawing to stay relevant as the playoff races start to take shape. So, there's a good chance the Wings, very early in the road trip, supersede the meager five first-period goals they scored in November. Should that happen, expect the Wings to look more like the team you saw in October as opposed to the one that took the ice in November.