McCabe, Rodrigues to return against Blue Jackets

Jake McCabe and Evan Rodrigues will return to the lineup when the Sabres host the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at KeyBank Center.
McCabe has missed 13 games since sustaining an upper-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 2. He'll replace Marco Scandella, who was injured blocking a shot in Buffalo's 5-1 loss on Long Island last night.
"It's been a really good turnaround," Sabres coach Phil Housley said. "Obviously, through this stretch of games, we haven't had a lot of quality practice time, but he's looked good in pregame skates. He's been pushed and he's ready to go."

McCabe tallied 14 points (4+10) in 55 games prior to sustaining his injury. He ranked fifth on the Sabres in average ice time (18:51) and shorthanded ice time (116:16), while his 95 blocked shots ranked third.
"I just like the way he approaches the game," Housley said. "Obviously, he defends really well. He's tough to play against. He boxes out well, he's a big part of our penalty-killing unit, but he also adds to the rush.
"I think any time you throw your body in harm's way, it helps give the bench energy and he does a terrific job at that."

Linus Ullmark will start in net for Buffalo. Rodrigues (upper body) will return from a two-game absence, replacing Jason Pominville at forward.
The Sabres will be in for a similar challenge to the one they faced in New York on Saturday, facing an opponent that should be desperate to solidify its playoff positioning. The Blue Jackets are tied with the Canadiens at 92 points but hold the second wild card by virtue of games played.
Columbus has won four straight games, including a 6-2 victory in Nashville on Saturday. Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to start in net for the second straight night.
Coverage on MSG-B begins at 5:30 p.m. with the GMC Game Night pregame show, or you can listen live on WGR 550. The puck drops at 6.