New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban wants hockey world to ‘focus on how we

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.

P.K. Subban, in his 13th NHL season, spoke with reporters following the Devils’ 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. He had posted a series of social media messages earlier in the day regarding the incident, but his postgame news conference featured his first comments in-person.

“I didn’t sleep much,” he said, referring to Saturday night when he heard the news after the Devils defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, 7-4, in Newark. “Sheer disappointment. It’s distasteful. There is no room for it in our game. I’m embarrassed because our game is better than this.”

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.

The two fought while surrounded by players from both teams. They received major penalties and misconduct penalties that sent them to their locker rooms. Jordan Subban’s teammate Nico Blachman left the Stingrays bench to punch Panetta and was also given a game misconduct.

Stingrays team president Rob Concannon said in a statement that his organization was “appalled by the incident.”

Jacksonville won the game 1-0 on an overtime power-play goal. The Icemen are a minor league affiliate of the New York Rangers. The Stingrays are an affiliate of the Washington Capitals.

“Our organization stands in support of our friend and teammate, Jordan, as well as all other players who continue to deal with racism and discrimination,” Concannon said. “This behavior is unacceptable and has to stop.”

P.K. Subban concurred. Speaking emotionally after playing 22 minutes in the Devils’ home loss, the veteran defenseman called for change, and hoped the incident might be enough to spur true change.

“I’d rather people focus on how we can change it and make it better, so the next kid that looks like P.K. Subban or Jordan Subban doesn’t have to go through this,” he said.

P.K. Subban, who has another brother in the sport, Malcolm Subban, a goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres, said he had a conversation this morning with his family.

“What I think about is the great people and the great things in our game that I love,” he said. “But the unfortunate thing isn’t just the incident. The unfortunate thing is how many kids deal with this every day and it doesn’t come to light.”

The Subbans grew up playing the game in Toronto. P.K. is 32 years old, Malcolm is 28 and Jordan is 26.

“I think the biggest thing that I…