Pro Hockey Player Denies Making Racist Gesture At P.K. Subban's Brother

Pro hockey player Jacob Panetta is apologizing for making a seemingly racist gesture towards Jordan Subban -- the brother of NHL star P.K. Subban -- during a hockey game ... but is adamant he did not have any racial intent behind his actions.

The incident took place on Saturday ... when Panetta of the ECHL's Jacksonville Icemen and Subban of the South Carolina Stingrays were involved in a verbal altercation.

Subban alleges that after he and Panetta exchanged words, Jacob started making monkey gestures towards him once he turned his back. Subban then threw punches at Jacob ... before both men were ultimately separated.

Panetta was suspended indefinitely for the gesture ... and the Icemen released him hours later.

After facing a storm of backlash, Panetta took to social media to release a video explaining his side of the situation.

"I want to reiterate that no racial slurs, noises or anything of the like were said by me during the incident," Panetta said ... explaining he was attempting a bodybuilding motion -- not a racist monkey gesture.

"I did not contemplate at the time that it would be perceived as a racial gesture and I attempted to convey this to Jordan as we were heading to the dressing room during the game."

He continued ... "I see now from Jordan's reaction that he, and others, certainly viewed it as a racial gesture. My actions have caused a great deal of anger and upset to Jordan, his family, and countless others."

Once Jordan's older brother, P.K., got word of the incident ... he quickly condemned Panetta publicly ... and even took a dig at the ECHL league calling it "the jungle."

Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen controversy like this in minor league hockey -- Krystof Hrabik was recently suspended 30 games by the AHL for allegedly directing a racist gesture towards Boko Imama ... a Black player on the Tucson Roadrunners.

Panetta apologized for his role in Saturday's incident, saying, "I sincerely apologize for the pain and suffering and anger my actions have caused him, his family, and everyone that was hurt by this."