MONTREAL (AP)—Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy and his son were suspended a total of 12 games for their parts in a brawl that broke out during a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff game.
The league said Tuesday that Roy, who coaches Quebec Remparts, was suspended five games for conduct related to his team’s fight with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Saturday.
Goalie Jonathon Roy was suspended seven games for barreling into Bobby Nadeau and repeatedly hitting him. The suspensions were effective immediately and could run into next regular season.
The elder Roy, who was on the bench, denied playing any role in the melee, although he appeared to urge on his son with a wave before he attacked the rival goaltender.
Chicoutimi player Sebastien Rioux was suspended six games for leaving the penalty box to fight Roy. Chicoutimi coach Richard Martel received an automatic two-game suspension for his player’s conduct. No players were seriously hurt in the incident.
Patrick Roy, who is the NHL’s career leader in victories and won Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche, apologized on Tuesday to Nadeau and his family as well as to the Remparts organization.
He was also apologetic toward his son.
“I regret not controlling the situation better,” Roy said in a brief statement in French in Quebec City. “I saw what Jonathan went through in the last few days and it was painful for him.
“If I had controlled things better, he wouldn’t have had to go through that.”
The brawl broke out near the end of the second period of Game 2 of their playoff series with the Sagueneens leading 7-1. The younger Roy apologized Monday for making a rude gesture to the crowd but not for hitting Nadeau, who led the QMJHL this season with a 2.63 goals-against average in 46 games.
After being restrained briefly by an official, Roy skated to the Chicoutimi goal, pulled off Nadeau’s mask and threw several punches, even when the Sagueneens goalie was on the ice.
Nadeau covered his head and did not fight back.
League commissioner Gilles Courteau called the coaches’ suspensions “severe” and warned all teams that further incidents would bring harsh punishment.
He was also assured by both clubs there would be no further controversy in their first-round playoff series, which was tied 1-1 going into Game 3 on Tuesday night in Quebec City.
The 19-year-old Roy was near the bottom of the league’s goaltending statistics in the regular season, with a 3-10 record in 22 games and a 3.96 goals-against average.
On Tuesday, Quebec newspapers dedicated up to a dozen pages to the debate over hockey violence.
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