Hey, sorry about trying to fracture your skull on the ice ...
Upon further review, Trevor Gillies is apparently having regrets about bashing the head of a fellow American Hockey League player into the ice.
The Adirondack Flames tough guy, who has a history of being disciplined for rough or reckless play in his pro career, went on Facebook one day after the latest altercation to offer his mea culpa while serving a mandatory one-game suspension for instigating and awaiting word from the league office regarding additional punishment.
The Post-Star in Glens Falls, N.Y., and the Maine Hockey Journal found this from Gillies after video of his attack on Rochester Amerks rookie William Carrier in the closing minutes of Friday's loss turned into the day's Internet sports sensation with a quick quarter of a million views on YouTube:
Trevor Gillies has issued a public apology on Facebook for last night's antics. #AHL #NHL #AHLFlames #Sabres #Amerks pic.twitter.com/AEAVVjQWYs
— Chris Roy (@Chris_MHJ) October 11, 2014
With the score 5-1, defensemen Matt MacKenzie of Rochester and Pat Sieloff of Adirondack began tangling in the corner. As they were wrestling, Gillies first shoved Amerks center Johan Larsson and then grabbed Carrier.
He started throwing uppercuts at Carrier, who is more of a scorer than a fighter and was doing his best to avoid the blows. Carrier dropped onto his knees on the ice, but Gillies continued to punch.
Seeing Carrier was protecting himself rather than fighting back, referee Jamie Koharski moved in to break things up. Before he could do so, though, Gillies grabbed Carrier's head, pulled him up a bit, then drove his victim visor/forehead-first into the ice.
Carrier wasn't hurt, and it's hard to say Gillies' reputation was blemished either. The 16-year pro veteran has a resume filled with fights and suspension-worthy incidents.
"Gillies' hockey resume is filled with moronic transgressions. But since the AHL won't consider his 9-game and 10-game suspensions levied by the NHL during the 2010-11 season when he played for the New York Islanders, the punishment very likely won't be sufficient for his repeat-offender status.
"He threw a flying elbow into the head of Eric Tangradi in a game against the Penguins; the NHL suspended him for nine games. In his first game back, he blasted Wild forward Cal Clutterbuck from behind into the boards and was given a 10-game ban."
