Red Wings' Alfredsson, Datsyuk out vs. Bruins

Wednesday, 04.02.2014 / 2:39 PM | Brian Hedger - NHL.com Correspondent

DETROIT -- Add another big name to the injury list for the Detroit Red Wings.

Right wing Daniel Alfredsson has a lower-body injury and will not play against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday at Joe Louis Arena (8 p.m. NBCSN, RDS, TSN2). Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said Alfredsson was day-to-day.

Alfredsson did not participate in the morning skate Wednesday after not practicing Tuesday, when he told reporters he planned to play against Boston. Alfredsson didn't speak with reporters after the skate Wednesday.

Detroit will play without center Pavel Datsyuk, who is back to skating after an injury to his left knee but isn't ready from a conditioning standpoint to return to live action. Datsyuk rested for a couple weeks in March to let the pain in his knee subside and only recently got back on the ice for practices.

"Feel much better," Datsyuk said after the Red Wings skate. "Happy to skate with team."

Datsyuk said he doesn't know if he'll be ready for the next game, Friday at home against the Buffalo Sabres. He said it's been frustrating sitting out.

"Yeah, waiting too long," Datsyuk said. "Would love to play as soon as possible but I need to be careful."

The Bruins are expected to go with their regular lineup but could have some late switches depending on a couple of situations. Forward Carl Soderberg might head back to Boston if his pregnant wife goes into labor, and center David Krejci has fought the effects of a sore throat the past couple days.

If either can't play, the likely replacement is forward Ryan Spooner, who was an emergency recall Tuesday from Providence of the American Hockey League.

Goaltender Jimmy Howard will start for the Red Wings (35-26-14) and Tuukka Rask will start for the Bruins (52-17-6), who have won a club-record nine straight road games and have earned at least a point in 16 straight games (15-0-1).

"We want to continue [battling], because we want to keep our game sharp and our foot on the gas pedal heading into the playoffs," Bruins forward Milan Lucic said. "With seven games left we're looking at it just like every other team is looking at it, as an opportunity to get better and end the season the way that we want to."

Here are the projected lineups:

BRUINS

Milan Lucic - David Krejci - Jarome Iginla

Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Reilly Smith

Chris Kelly - Carl Soderberg - Loui Eriksson

Daniel Paille - Gregory Campbell - Shawn Thornton

Zdeno Chara - Johnny Boychuk

Matt Bartkowski - Torey Krug

Kevan Miller - Andrej Meszaros

Tuukka Rask

Chad Johnson

Scratched: Corey Potter, Dougie Hamilton, Jordan Caron, Ryan Spooner