CBC-Sports

Liambas shouldn't have the book thrown at him

November 3, 2009 04:51 PM | Posted by   Scott Morrison  

It seems entirely inappropriate to say it, especially when a 16-year-old kid is in hospital in critical, but stable condition with a fractured skull and orbital bone and severe lacerations to his face. But the guy who inflicted the damage doesn't deserve much more punishment than he has already received.

That just seems wrong, but a lot of hockey people agree that is right.

The injured kid, of course, is 16-year-old Ben Fanelli, who plays with the junior Kitchener Rangers. He was plastered into the boards and glass last Friday night by 20-year-old Erie Otters forward Michael Liambas. The damage to Fanelli was severe, as was the hit.

The automatic instinct, of course, is to call for a serious suspension and perhaps the hit does deserve something more than the match penalty for boarding that was assessed at the time, but Liambas shouldn't have the book thrown at him.

Horrible result

On the play, Fanelli is carrying the puck behind his goal, while Liambas is making tracks to hit him along the boards. At the very last second, just as Liambas is about to make contact, Fanelli turned face first towards the boards. Upon impact, his head struck the stanchion on the glass, re-opening a cut on his face and likely causing another. It’s also the point where he fractured his skull and orbital bone. Fanelli’s helmet popped off and he sagged to the ice.

Liambas didn't charge, or elbow, or high stick, or launch himself. He finished his check and the results were horrible.

Thankfully, Fanelli has been making progress in hospital, understanding that the progress is slow and he is facing a long recovery. The most important consideration now is that he is able to regain his health and hopefully, at some point, the mental and physical strength to resume his hockey career if he so desires.

Decision coming

What should happen with Liambas, who has been tortured by the devastation of the hit? David Branch, commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League, has been thinking long and hard about that. His first consideration was monitoring the health of Fanelli. Now he must decide what to do with Liambas.

Branch seldom gets it wrong and has a rich history of doing what is right for junior hockey, not fearing delivering a loud message.

It says here, and others solicited for opinion agree, that perhaps Liambas should receive a suspension of five games or so to reinforce the message of the need for respect and to remind players how vulnerable they all are.

But Liambas doesn’t need to be suspended for the season or longer, or to have the book thrown at him. There has been enough severe damage already.

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