Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff has opted to alter his roster for Friday’s matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets, designating forward Ryan McLeod and defenseman Louis Crevier as healthy scratches. The decision follows a disappointing 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night.
Lineup Adjustments Following Home Defeat
Buffalo opened its four-game homestand on Wednesday with a strong goaltending display from Colten Ellis, but late third-period goals by Ottawa’s Shane Pinto and Michael Amadio erased the lead and gave the Senators a 2-1 win. Afterwards, Ruff voiced displeasure with the squad’s work ethic, stating the team was outskated and outworked. The head coach responded by benching both McLeod and Crevier, who had previously skated in all 15 games this season.
McLeod was benched after a defensive zone faceoff loss and missed assignment directly led to Pinto’s equalizer on Wednesday. He did not skate with the main forward lines during Friday’s morning skate. Meanwhile, Crevier logged a team-low 8:05 of ice time against Ottawa. Crevier, who agreed to a four-year, $16 million contract extension before the season, has recorded one assist in 15 appearances after tallying 25 points with Chicago last year.
Ruff addressed McLeod’s status when speaking about the decision. “(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.”
Returning Players and Roster Decisions
Forward Jiri Kulich and defenseman Conor Timmins will step into the lineup after being cleared prior to Wednesday’s game. Kulich slotted into McLeod’s former position on the wing beside Josh Norris and Jason Zucker during practice drills. Timmins, who missed time due to a preseason injury following an impressive postseason run, is set to make his season debut alongside Zach Metsa.
In goal, Buffalo will turn to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The visiting Blue Jackets will give Jet Greaves the start in net for the back end of back-to-back games, coming off a 2-1 shootout win over the Dallas Stars on Thursday.
In an additional roster move, Buffalo placed defenseman Jack Rathbone on waivers Friday. Rathbone was sidelined by an injury during training camp and must clear waivers before being assigned to the AHL’s Rochester Americans.
