ST. PAUL — A play-by-play announcer who was pulled from the TV broadcast of the Minnesota boys’ state hockey tournament after he encouraged one team’s fans to “get out the lynching ropes” is apologizing.

Fox Sports North announcer Doug McLeod made the comment on KSTC-TV during a quarterfinal game Thursday at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. McLeod was soon pulled off the air, and the station’s studio host apologized to viewers.

McLeod apologized in a statement Friday, saying he was “mortified.” He said he was trying for a movie reference that came out “totally inappropriate.”

McLeod said he is “capable of bad humor but never bad intent.”

Officials with the Minnesota State High School League said they were unaware of the situation. Station management did not return a call for comment.