Peters not behind bench for Flames

Calgary Flames head coach Bill Peters wasn’t scheduled to be behind the bench for Wednesday’s game against the Sabres in Buffalo amid an investigation by the NHL and the club after allegations surfaced that he used racial slurs when talking with a player 10 years ago.

Associate coach Geoff Ward was set to take his place.

“Our review into the allegations from last evening continues,” said general manager Brad Treliving.

“This is a very serious matter and we want to be thorough in our review . ... We will have no further comment until our review is complete.”

Peters wasn’t on the ice during practice on Tuesday.

On Monday, free agent Akim Aliu detailed on social media how he was the target of racially charged language from an unnamed person when he played for the Rockford Ice Hogs of the American Hockey League in the 2009-10 season.

In an interview with TSN published Tuesday, Aliu confirmed he was speaking about Peters.

Aliu, who was born in Nigeria but played junior hockey in Canada, said he was 20 in the 2009-10 season and in charge of selecting the Ice Hogs’ locker room music.

Peters didn’t like his hip-hop choices, Aliu said.

“He walked in before a morning pre-game skate and said, ‘Hey Akim, I’m sick of you playing that n----- s---,’ “Aliu told TSN, with Peters, who was then the Ice Hogs head coach, referring to Aliu’s taste in music. “He said ‘I’m sick of hearing this n-----s f-----other n-----s in the ass stuff.’

“He then walked out like nothing ever happened. You could hear a pin drop in the room, everything went dead silent. I just sat down in my stall, didn’t say a word.”