NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban on Sunday night addressed an incident involving an alleged racist taunt aimed at his brother Jordan Subban in a minor-league game Saturday in Florida.
The East Coast Hockey League indefinitely suspended Jacksonville Icemen defenseman Jacob Panetta, pending a hearing, for what Jordan Subban, a South Carolina Stingrays defenseman who is Black, said was a racist taunt. The Icemen later announced they released Panetta.
The ECHL game was in overtime when South Carolina’s Andrew Cherniwchan collided with Jacksonville goalie Justin Kapelmaster, sparking a skirmish between the teams. According to Jordan Subban, he tried to engage Panetta in a fight. Panetta responded by allegedly taunting him.
“As soon as I began to turn my back, he started making monkey gestures at me, so I punched him in the face multiple times and he turtled like the coward he is,” Jordan Subban tweeted.