Patrick Roy's son apologizes for finger, not fight
The son of former NHL goalie Patrick Roy apologized Monday for giving the finger to the crowd at a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League game, but not for pounding on the rival goalie.
Jonathan Roy gave the middle-fingered salute — on both hands — to Chicoutimi Sagueneens fans on Saturday.
"I acted in a way that is not acceptable for an athlete," Roy told reporters at a media conference in Quebec City.
"I gave the finger to the crowd and then, after the game, I made unacceptable comments in front of the cameras. I acted out of adrenalin and frustration.
"But like any athlete who wants to play and win, I didn't have the right to act that way. I want to take this opportunity to apologize for my comments and gestures toward Chicoutimi hockey fans as well as people who saw me and heard me on television.
"You will never see me behave like that again."
Conspicuously absent from the words of contrition, however, was Chicoutimi goaltender Bobby Nadeau, who can be seen in video footage getting repeatedly punched by Roy even after falling to the ice.
The melee erupted late in the second period with the Sagueneens leading 7-1 in the second game of their playoff series after losing the opener.
With 10 players already involved in the brouhaha, Roy skated to centre ice and appeared to challenge Nadeau to a fight.
Officials intercepted Roy, but eventually left him to deal with other fights.
That's when Roy skated toward his counterpart, pushed Nadeau into the net and ripped off Nadeau's mask before starting the volley of blows.
Discipline still pending
The league will announce on Tuesday evening what, if any, discipline would be handed down.
A decision on possible punishment was to have been made on Monday evening, but the league said in a statement it required more time to review the incidents.
Roy will definitely miss Tuesday's third game, in Quebec City, because he was assessed two fighting majors, a minor and two game misconducts.
Patrick Roy, who coaches the Remparts and watched the clashes from the bench, said he did nothing to encourage the melee and denied he made any gesture to his son to go after Nadeau.
A video of the goaltender get-together had received more than 80,000 hits on various websites as of late Monday afternoon.
And the incident dominated newscasts in Quebec all day, with all-news channels RDI and LCN showing it over and over and interviewing all kinds of people.
Quebec Sports Minister Michelle Courchesne weighed in, saying she wants to speak to her provincial counterparts in an attempt to do away with fighting in junior hockey.
Courchesne, whose son played three years in the QMJHL, said she doesn't know exactly what can be done but added that it is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.
The teams have had a history of confrontation.
Last season, Patrick Roy was involved in an altercation with a member of the Chicoutimi organization when Sagueneens fans prevented the Remparts' bus from moving.