September 25, 2007 -- Chris Simon has five games remaining on the 25-game suspension he received after the Mar. 8 stick-swinging incident at the Coliseum in which he took a baseball-bat-like swing that landed on Ryan Hollweg's jaw, but according to the NHL's peculiar rules, he is allowed to participate in exhibition games.

And as such, Simon, who cannot make his 2007-08 regular-season debut until Oct. 13 in Philadelphia, was in the Islanders' lineup against the Rangers in last night's pre-season game at the Coliseum . . . in the lineup against Hollweg, who refused to allow Simon to offer an in-person apology last season, and isn't anxious to receive one at any time.

"It's his choice and I respect that," Simon told The Post before taking a five-minute major and game misconduct for charging Hollweg at 8:11 of the second after the Ranger winger had initiated two previous confrontations. "It wasn't him who hit me."

No, it was Simon who hit Hollweg with his stick on Mar. 8, and who in that moment joined a Hockey Public Enemy No. 1 list that most prominently features Todd Bertuzzi and Marty McSorley.

"I said at the time that I was wrong, and I say that now, too," Simon told The Post before the Rangers' 5-4 overtime loss. "Everyone knows it was wrong. Not for a second do I believe it was the right way to react.