Schneider, a native of Williamsville, N.Y., will be playing at First Niagara Center for the first time since he was a senior at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute, competing in the Scotty Bowman Showcase. Schneider, 25, signed with the Sabres last summer after four seasons in the Ottawa Senators organization.
He was part of a seven-player trade between the Sabres and Senators on Feb. 27 and scored three goals and 12 points in 15 games for Rochester of the American Hockey League.
"He's paid a lot of dues to get here," Sabres coach Dan Bylsma told the Sabres website. "He's been a point leader and a leader for us in Rochester
(shoulder),
Curtis McElhinney
(knee),
David Clarkson
(lower body),
Fedor Tyutin
(lower body),
Cody Goloubef
(oblique)
SABRES
Zemgus Girgensons - Ryan O'Reilly - Cole Schneider
Marcus Foligno - Johan Larsson - Brian Gionta
Nicolas Deslauriers - Jack Eichel - Sam Reinhart
Evan Rodrigues - David Legwand - Matt Moulson
Josh Gorges - Rasmus Ristolainen
Jake McCabe - Zach Bogosian
Carlo Colaiacovo - Mark Pysyk
Jason Kasdorf
Chad Johnson
Injured: Robin Lehner (ankle), Tyler Ennis (concussion), Evander Kane (upper body), Cody McCormick (illness), Cody Franson (concussion)
Scratched: Hudson Fasching, Cal O'Reilly, Tyler Ennis, Casey Nelson, Linus Ullmark, Nathan Lieuwen
Status report: Rodrigues and Schneider will skate in place of
Fasching
and
Cal O'Reilly
. Ennis will miss the two remaining regular season games. … Bylsma told the Buffalo News after practice on Friday he feels Nelson and Fasching are "fighting the puck" and wants each of them to watch a game.
Who's hot: Saad has five goals and one assist in the past four games. … Ryan O'Reilly has four goals and three assists in the past five games.
