NHL teams
Craig Custance, ESPN Senior Writer 10y

Daniel Alfredsson won't play Game 3

NHL, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins

DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings veteran forward Daniel Alfredsson won't be in the lineup Tuesday for Game 3 of Detroit's first-round series against the Boston Bruins.

Alfredsson has been dealing with a back injury, and Detroit coach Mike Babcock said he "needed another day." He'd been a nonfactor in the first two games of the series, failing to register a goal, assist or shot on goal despite averaging 15:39 of ice time.

Babcock will insert center Joakim Andersson in Alfredsson's place in the lineup.

"Andersson can really help our penalty killing," Babcock said. "He's a good faceoff guy, he knows how to play."

Andersson gained valuable experience down the stretch last season, playing 14 playoff games for the Red Wings against the Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks, putting up five points in the process.

Only Pavel Datsyuk and Luke Glendening took more faceoffs than Andersson this season, winning 51.4 percent of them.

"It's going to be fun," Andersson told ESPN.com. "Exciting to be back playing -- these are the games we want to be part of."

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