While calling out others, Red Wings' McLellan delighted with this guy - mlive.com

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat watches a Lucas Raymond shot go past Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury last Saturday. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)AP

DETROIT – Detroit Red Wings coach Todd McLellan spent much of his postgame news conference Thursday lamenting his team’s lack of compete in a 5-2 loss to Columbus and was particularly critical of captain Dylan Larkin.

But McLellan was pleased with at least one player. Alex DeBrincat scored a goal to extend his points streak to eight games (six goals, six assists).

“If you could take him and rub him against a few of our other guys tonight, we’d have a real good chance,” McLellan said. “You guys watch how competitive he is on every puck in every situation. There’s nothing he backs down from. He plays in traffic. He’s physical on offense, which means when he’s got the puck, he’s hard to knock off and he goes to dirty areas to score.

“He’s not somebody I’m at all concerned about. And that’s a good thing because that’s how he plays.”

DeBrincat opened the scoring 27 seconds into the second period with his team-leading 27th goal, equaling his total from each of the past two seasons, with Ottawa and then his first year in Detroit.

DeBrincat tied Pavel Datsyuk for the longest points streak by any NHL player heading into an outdoor game. The Red Wings and Blue Jackets meet Saturday in a Stadium Series game at Ohio Stadium (6 p.m., ESPN).

But it’s not just DeBrincat’s scoring that’s making McLellan happy. At 5-8 and 180 pounds, he is the smallest player on the team and among the most diminutive in the league. But he doesn’t back down.

DeBrincat delivered a huge hit on Minnesota’s Brock Faber last Saturday, triggering a melee.

“He’s a feisty SOB, like he’s been since he’s been in the league,” McLellan said after that game. “Everywhere he’s been, he surprises you when he gets the gloves off, he surprises you with big hits. He’s a hard, physical player that scores goals and just because he’s not the tallest guy in the league, he probably isn’t looked at that way. But pound for pound, I’d put him up against a lot of people.”

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