Sabres Healthy Scratch McLeod, Crevier Against Columbus

The Buffalo Sabres wasted an excellent performance from Colten Ellis in the opener of their four-game homestand against Ottawa on Wednesday, as Shane Pinto and Michael Amadio scored in the final 10 minutes of regulation to hand the Atlantic rival Senators a 2-1 victory. 

After the game, head coach Lindy Ruff indicated he was not pleased with his club’s effort, stating that they were outskated and outworked, and because of that, the Sabres have scratched two players who have been in the lineup for every one of their 15 games. 

Center Ryan McLeod, whose lost defensive zone draw and failed coverage led to Pinto’s tying goal, did not take line rushes at the club’s morning skate on Friday in preparation for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Defenseman Louis Crevier, who played a team-low 8:05 on Wednesday is also expected to be a healthy scratch. 

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Prior to Wednesday’s game, Ruff said that both forward Jiri Kulich and defenseman Conor Timmins were ready to return to the lineup. Kulich took McLeod’s spot on the wing with Josh Norris and Jason Zucker, while Timmins is expected to pair with Zach Metsa. 

"(McLeod) knows he needs to be better,” Ruff said. “He’s taken full responsibility (for the miscue) and understands. It's not about not playing tonight; it's really about what the next game is going to look like. When you meet with a player and you go through details of the game, there’s a lot more to the game than just that faceoff." 

Crevier, who signed a four-year, $16 million extension before the season, has just one assist in 15 games after scoring 25 points with Chicago last season, but Timmins, who was injured in the preseason after an excellent showing in the playoffs, is ready to make his first start of the campaign.  

The Sabres will start Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in goal, The Blue Jackets are coming off a 2-1 shootout victory over Dallas on Thursday and will go with Jet Greaves in goal in the second of back-to-back games. Buffalo announced that they have placed defenseman Jack Rathbone on waivers. Rathbone was injured during training camp and needs to clear to be demoted to the AHL Rochester Americans.

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