Fanelli stable but critical

Kitchener's Fanelli stable but critical after skull and facial fractures


KITCHENER, Ont. — Kitchener Rangers defenceman Ben Fanelli is hospitalized in critical but stable condition after suffering skull and facial fractures during an Ontario Hockey League game, the team said on its website Saturday.

The 16-year-old was injured during Friday night's 4-0 win over the visiting Erie Otters and was airlifted to a Hamilton hospital after being taken to a local hospital.

He also suffered a cut above the eye but was conscious as he was taken off the ice.

"Ben's parents and family experienced something that we all wish would never happen," Rangers CEO Steve Bienkowski said on the website. "Our immediate focus will be to assist the Fanelli family and our players as we all deal with Ben's injuries."

According to the Waterloo Region Record, Fanelli was checked into the end boards by Erie's Michael Liambas and his head went hard into the glass, sending his helmet up in the air.

Fanelli then fell to the ice and a pool of blood from the cut on his face formed under his head.

Liambas was ejected from the game after receiving a match penalty for boarding.

Copyright © 2009 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



My thoughts and prayers are with Ben, the team, his friends and family.

I didn't see the incident so I won't comment on it more then that.

there's a video of the hit on you tube i saw it and it wasn't very pretty. and my thoughts and prayers are with him also.

Upgrade as of Tuesday; Fanelli is "serious but stable", an upgrade from"critical"! Good news!

i'm very upset to hear about this leading to a full year suspension..... i haven't heard much on the hit being intentional and i've seen alot of plays that are much dirtier

This is just another case of the OHL over reacting on something that very rarely happens. Like the Don Sanderson situation and now this. Hockey is a contact sport, and the players know the risk they take every time they step onto the ice. My thoughts and prayers go out to Fanelli and his family, but all this does is appease the media who want to see less violence in hockey.

The guy on Kingston who hit Stokes last year deserved the fate this poor young kid on Erie got.

I love hearing Branch say that in no way does the league believe there was any intent to injure

yet when stokes was intentionally injured there was such a small penalty