OHL player gets season ban for hit

CBC Sports Nov 4, 1:34 pm EST

The Ontario Hockey League has reacted strongly to a hit that put a Kitchener Rangers defenceman in critical condition, suspending Michael Liambas of the Erie Otters for the remainder of the season.

Ben Fanelli, who is now listed in serious but stable condition, suffered skull and facial fractures after he was hit into the boards during the Oct. 30 game.

The suspension of Liambas, 20, will include the playoffs.

“Players must understand they shall be held accountable for their actions,” OHL commissioner David Branch said in a statement. “We must all work towards improving the level of respect players have towards opposing players and the game in general.”

Fanelli was handling the puck behind his own net in a game at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. The defender turned his head towards the boards as Liambis approached in stride.

While Liambis didn’t lift his skates off the ground, the impact of the hit broke Fanelli’s helmet. The teen’s head appeared to strike the metal partition framing the glass at the Zamboni entrance.

Fanelli twitched on the ice before being attended to by team and arena staff. The 16-year-old Oakville, Ont., native suffered a facial cut that led to considerable bleeding.

Fanelli is recuperating at Hamilton General Hospital after being airlifted from Kitchener.

Liambis received a match penalty for boarding on the play. Otters coach Robbie Ftorek, a former NHL player and coach, told the Erie Times-News that the Woodbridge, Ont., native has been having a tough time emotionally in the wake of the incident.

Liambas is a five-foot-nine, 200-pounder. Fanelli is four inches taller, and is about 25 pounds lighter.

Fanelli had an assist through his first seven games with Kitchener.

“He’s a player that we felt had the opportunity not only to be a =great player for Kitchener, but I believe had an opportunity, and I still hope he has an opportunity, to be a professional hockey player,” said Rangers coach Spott.

Liambas was entering his fourth season with Erie. ln 124 games with the Otters, he had compiled five goals, eight assists, and 357 penalty minutes.

Updated Nov 4, 1:34 pm EST
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15 Comments

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  1. <i>midnite301</i>
    15. Posted by midnite301 Fri Nov 6 7:58am EST

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    good riddance.. the OHL and hockey in general can do without these meatheads running around trying to hurt people.. one just has to search for liambis on youtube to see the multitude of clips of this guy trying to ruin other peoples careers - his suspension is no loss to the league whatsoever. He should be banned from hockey everywhere.
  2. Peter B
    14. Posted by Peter B Wed Nov 4 11:50pm EST

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    If the rule of the league do not define that hit as dirty, the rules are garbage. The violence of that hit is sickening.

    Liambas should be charged criminally with assault causing grievous bodily harm.
  3. Cliff
    13. Posted by Cliff Wed Nov 4 10:19pm EST

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    Is it such a stretch that in a game that allows full body contact that someone will occassionally be seriously hurt or worse....killed ??? The game allows borderline violence all the time with minimal
    penalties and when a clean hard hit is made they throw the guy out for the season. Ben turned and lowered himself just before the hit and it was too late for Michael to back off the way it looks to me.
    The league allows the age difference and body contact so who's playing Michael as the scapegoat ?
    What about the equipment rules.....are all the players wearing properly fitted helmuts that are done up properly ? IMO this may have contributed !! Is the door designed properly ??? Some people need to get their heads out of their asses....Michael is there for a reason and it's all condoned by the league, enjoyed by the fans and sells tickets.

    Best to Ben and his family.....hope he has a speedy recovery.
  4. Cliff
    12. Posted by Cliff Wed Nov 4 10:17pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Is it such a stretch that in a game that allows full body contact that someone will occassionally be seriously hurt or worse....killed ??? The game allows borderline violence all the time with minimal
    penalties and when a clean hard hit is made they throw the guy out for the season. Ben turned and lowered himself just before the hit and it was too late for Michael to back off the way it looks to me.
    The league allows the age difference and body contact so who's playing Michael as the scapegoat ?
    What about the equipment rules.....are all the players wearing properly fitted helmuts that are done up properly ? IMO this may have contributed !! Is the door designed properly ??? Some people need to get their heads out of their asses....Michael is there for a reason and it's all condoned by the league, enjoyed by the fans and sells tickets.

    Best to Ben and his family.....hope he has a speedy recovery.
  5. Cliff
    11. Posted by Cliff Wed Nov 4 10:17pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Is it such a stretch that in a game that allows full body contact that someone will occassionally be seriously hurt or worse....killed ??? The game allows borderline violence all the time with minimal
    penalties and when a clean hard hit is made they throw the guy out for the season. Ben turned and lowered himself just before the hit and it was too late for Michael to back off the way it looks to me.
    The league allows the age difference and body contact so who's playing Michael as the scapegoat ?
    What about the equipment rules.....are all the players wearing properly fitted helmuts that are done up properly ? IMO this may have contributed !! Is the door designed properly ??? Some people need to get their heads out of their asses....Michael is there for a reason and it's all condoned by the league, enjoyed by the fans and sells tickets.

    Best to Ben and his family.....hope he has a speedy recovery.
  6. armchairview...
    10. Posted by armchairview... Wed Nov 4 9:54pm EST

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    Well it seems David Branch once again has taken the extreme and banned someone for a clean check. In the OHL, there are many dirty hits. some of them go unnoticed and some don't result in a penalty or injury. This is a hard check, which resulted in a serious injury. You maybe can say it is charging or boarding but if you watch any NHL or OHL game, that hit occurs 5 to 6 times a game. It is unfortuante that all wrongs came toghether on one play - a hard hit, by a twenty year old player on a 16 year old player, physical differences in size and statue, Kitchener player turns slightly on impact resulting in head hitting metal post, then falling to the ice without a helmet.

    A tradegic event that is now even more tradegic by the suspension. David Branch needs to re think his decision. He has no frame of reference as to what hockey players see, do and react in a game because he has never, yes never, played the game at this level. If David Branch wants to suspend this Erie player for a significant amount of time, then maybe a 10 to 20 game suspension is warranted to tell the player be careful. But for the whole season. what was he thinking? No one wins in this situation and David Branch has made matters worse with his actions. Maybe, the league should now suspend Branch until he can find some common sense in how he approaches the game.
  7. Slewshark
    9. Posted by Slewshark Wed Nov 4 9:25pm EST

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    'the Woodbridge, Ont., native has been having a tough time emotionally in the wake of the incident."
    The only reason this punk feels bad is because he has been suspended for the rest of the season.
    I think Liambis should find a coach whose style is like Graham James had years ago.
  8. <i>davidfreeman@...</i>
    8. Posted by davidfreeman@... Wed Nov 4 8:00pm EST

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    It was clearly a'hit to hurt' by an individual prowling around the ice waiting for the opportunity to hurt someone. It must be eliminated from the game. NHL must lead the way to stop this type of hit. You must protect the players. Part of the game...tell that to the Fanelli family!!
  9. <i>avalanche108</i>
    7. Posted by avalanche108 Wed Nov 4 6:35pm EST

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    Looked like a clean hit. Watch it on youtube. Type in OHL hit and it comes up if you want to see it.
  10. Jrock
    6. Posted by Jrock Wed Nov 4 3:44pm EST

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    Does anyone know of a link to see this unfortunate incident?
  11. Ogie!
    5. Posted by Ogie! Wed Nov 4 3:35pm EST

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    Yeah, looked clean to me too. Someone on another site wrote that its a suspension of the result of the play rather than the conduct itself. I couldn't agree more. His elbow didn't catch him plus he turned his back as he was about to be hit. The suspension is way out of line. A 20 year old hit a 16 year old. That's an OHL problem.
  12. Kyle B
    4. Posted by Kyle B Wed Nov 4 3:23pm EST

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    I agree, looked like a clean hit. They shouldn't have 20 years playing with 16 year olds if they don't want to see hits like that. Too bad for the guy making the hit, he has to sit out a full season which could jeopardize the rest of his career.
  13. Helm's Deep
    3. Posted by Helm's Deep Wed Nov 4 3:19pm EST

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    Elbows aimed at heads while charging at players who don't hold the puck should not be considered clean.
    At the very least...Liambis should get an invite to a Ducks camp.
  14. John
    2. Posted by John Wed Nov 4 2:32pm EST

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    That looked like a relatively clean check. Maybe a little high, but it wasn't from behind. Too long of a suspension IMHO
  15. John
    1. Posted by John Wed Nov 4 2:31pm EST

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    That looked like a relatively clean check. Maybe a little high, but it wasn't from behind. Too long of a suspension IMHO
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