Jeff Blashill: 'I love Joakim' Andersson

(Photo: Rick Osentoski, Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports)Detroit Red Wings center Joakim Andersson played just 5 minutes and 33 seconds in Sunday's Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but they were all big.

His laserlike pass to Andreas Athanasiou gave the Wings a 1-0 lead at 12:42 of the second period of a game Detroit eventually won to cut Tampa Bay's series lead to 2-1.

Blashill said after today's optional practice that he is "confident when (Andersson) is on the ice."

"I love the fact he's a net-presence guy," said Blashill of Andersson, who was called up from Grand Rapids for the final regular-season game, at the New York Rangers. "He's real smart, he can win face-offs. He's a fifth…