Sabres coach is on hot seat, GM calls play ‘unacceptable’

Buffalo Sabres coach Ralph Krueger is on the hot seat for overseeing a highpriced and underperforming team that has won just twice in its past 12 games.

First-year general manager Kevyn Adams called the team’s play “unacceptable” and added “it’s flat-out not good enough” during a wide-ranging conference call on Friday.

Adams was short on specifics when it came to Krueger, saying “everything is under evaluation.” He said he has full authority from owners Terry and Kim Pegula to make hockey decisions.

“He understands the situation we’re in is unacceptable, and the players do, everybody does,” Adams said of the second-year coach.

“I like Ralph a lot. I’ve learned a lot from Ralph,” he added. “But we both know that this hasn’t been good enough in terms of translating to success. We’ll assess everything.”

As for his players, Adams questioned his team’s lack of competitiveness and passion. He said he is considering shaking up his roster through trades but ruled out a “full-fledged” rebuild BRUINS 5, CAPITALS 1 » Brad Marchand had two goals and an assist, and Boston responded to a head shot from Capitals forward Tom Wilson with a three-goal second period to beat Washington.

Two days after Alex Ovechkin slashed Trent Frederic in the groin, the game again took an ugly turn when Wilson smashed Brandon Carlo’s head into the glass with 90 seconds left in the first period. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Carlo left the arena in an ambulance and went to a hospital but could not confirm that it was a concussion.

“You can probably make your own call on that, considering the hit was directly to his head,” the coach said.

Both Frederic and Jarred Tinordi fought Wilson in the game, but the real revenge was the scoring.

Frederic scored Boston’s second goal — the first after Wilson’s hit — and Patrice Bergeron had a goal and an assist for Boston. Nick Ritchie also scored, and Jaroslav Halak stopped 31 shots BLACKHAWKS 4, LIGHTNING 3» Philipp Kurashev scored the only goal in a shootout and host Chicago beat Tampa Bay.

Alex DeBrincat scored twice and Dominik Kubalik added a goal in regulation for the Blackhawks, who lost their first three games to the Lightning this season. Malcolm Subban made 39 saves, plus three more in the shootout.

WILD 5, COYOTES 1 » Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist, Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 24 shots and Minnesota jumped on Arizona early in a decisive victory. BLACKHAWKS’ SEABROOK RETIRES » Longtime Chicago Blackhawks defenseman and three-time Stanley Cup winner Brent Seabrook announced Friday he is unable to continue playing hockey because of injury. After surgeries on his right shoulder and both hips, it’s a lingering right hip issue that’s keeping the 35-year-old Canadian from getting back on the ice. Seabrook could remain on long-term injured reserve and not technically retire because he has three years remaining on his contract.