OHL Suspensions Handed Down

The Barrie Colts' Darren Archibald is suspended indefinitely after a Game 3 incident on Sunday where he ran ((and absolutely trucked)) Windsor Spitfires' goalie Phillipp Grubauer.

The incident took place late in the third period with Barrie down 5-2. Archibald caught Grubauer behind the net-knocking the goalie down. Windsor's Craig Duininck fought Archibald as a retalliation. He got a match penalty for the hit.

The Colts are down 3-0 in the series and face elimination when it resumes on Tuesday.

Windsor's Adam Wallace (inappropriate physical interaction with an opponent) and Barrie's Zac Rinaldo (physical interaction with an official) have also been suspended indefinitely.

In addition, the two teams have been fined C$5,000 each for "unprofessional off-ice conduct."

Here's the hit and the fight...
((HT: Sportsnet/OHL/JimKorn20))

Zack Kassian Gets 20-Game Suspension

((HT: TV Cogeco))

In what, probably, is a precursor to the upcoming decision on Patrice Cormier's shot to the head of Mikael Tam in the QMJHL, Windsor Spitfires forward Zack Kassian got a 20-game suspension for this hit on the Barrie Colts Matt Kennedy back on the 14th.

Kassian left his feet, led with his forearm and laid Kennedy out.
No debate here...
Pretty classless...



"I don't remember getting hit. I couldn't tell you what happened," Matt Kennedy told the Toronto Star at the time. "I kind of blacked out."

Ontario Hockey League president David Branch issued a statement:
"While the League is persuaded that player Zack Kassian did not leave his feet prior to contact with the Barrie player, It is the position of the League that player Zack Kassian checked the unsuspecting Barrie player while such player was in a vulnerable position without having been in the possession of the puck. Players must understand that they shall be held accountable for their actions and we must continue to work to improve the level of respect players have towards opposing players."

And such...

Kassian is a first-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, and he's lucky he didn't get what Cormier is going to get come Monday... the HQ thinks that'll be pretty severe...

OHL: Barrie Wins 18th in a Row

((HT: TVCogeco-Ontario))

Darren Archibald's overtime goal lifted the Colts to their 18th win in a row Wednesday, a 5-4 triumph over the Owen Sound Attack.

Wednesday's victory moved the Colts past the 1999-00 Plymouth Whalers, who won 17 straight games that season. Barrie still has some work to do before equalling the league record of 25, set by the 1983-84 Rangers.

Here's an example of what you're missing in this win streak, but it's more from the losing perspective. The Niagara Ice Dogs were getting their collective ass handed to them over the weekend.

So... what happens...???
Fights- a lot of them, naturally...

Barrie, just so you know, is 26-4 on the year and haven't lost since October...

Here they are...
Thanks to our friends at Cogeco-Ontario...

Fanelli Released From Hospital

((HT: CP))

Kitchener Rangers defenceman Ben Fanelli ((pictured, thanks CP)) gets to continue recovery from the monstrous check he took in an Ontario Hockey League game at home.

He was released from Hamilton ((Ontario)) General Hospital late Friday night.

Fanelli suffered skull and facial fractures from the hit Erie Otters forward Michael Liambas laid on him during an October 30 contest.

Fanelli had been in the hospital ever since, but his condition has improved over time.

The OHL came down hard on Liambas- giving him a suspension for the remainder of the 2009-2010 season.

Rangers COO Steve Bienkowski told The Kitchener Record newspaper that the team is hoping to arrange limited visits to the Fanelli home over the next few days.

Here's the release on Fanelli's condition from the Rangers website...

And here's what started it all...

((HT: Rogers TV-Kitchener))

Liambas Suspended For Season For Fanelli Hit

((HT: Fan590AM/Toronto))

The Ontario Hockey League is suspending Michael Liambas of the Erie Otters for the entire season and playoffs.

The decision comes after a boarding incident in a game between Erie and the Kitchener Rangers last Friday. Liambas was assessed a match penalty for his hit on Ben Fanelli ((pictured, thanks Kitchener Rangers)), who suffered skull and facial fractures on the play.

Fanelli's helmet flew off and he fell unconscious to the ice before he was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

Doctors recently upgraded his condition to serious but stable.

Fanelli is four years younger than the 20-year-old Liambas, who has now played his last OHL game.

Here's the hit, thanks to our friends at RogersTV-Kitchener...


It was a busy day for "HockeyCentral" on the Fan as Daren Millard and Doug MacLean had both Ontario Hockey League Commissioner David Branch and Erie Otters Managing Partner/GM Sherry Bassin on to discuss the punishment...

Here's Branch with Millard and MacLean
Here's Bassin with Millard and MacLean

Will this "send a message?"
Don't know... but those of us at OSG HQ doubt it in the long run...

Brutal Junior Hockey Hit, OHL Player In Critical Condition

((HT: Rogers TV/Kitchener, TSN))

Kitchener Rangers' defenseman Ben Fanelli is listed in critical but stable condition in Hamilton General Hospital after being injured in Friday night's OHL game between the Rangers and Erie Otters.

The 16-year old was rushed to Grand River Hospital in Kitchener then airlifted to Hamilton General after being driven into the endboards by Erie's Michael Liambas half way through the second period.

The Oakville, Ontario native's head hit the glass while his helmet flew into the air before Fanelli hit the ice hard. Blood pooled on the ice from cuts above Fanelli's eyebrow and face. The game was delayed for 40 minutes as Fanelli was attended to and placed in an ambulance.

Fanelli's parents were among the 6,000 spectators at the Kitchener Auditorium. Fanelli's mother reportedly fainted and had to be revived following the incident.

Kitchener Rangers Chief Operating Officer Steve Bienkowski stated that Fanelli was conscious when the ambulance was taking him to the hospital. He was diagnosed with skull and facial fractures including a broken orbital bone.

"Ben's parents and family experienced something that we all wish would never happen", said Bienkowski in a statement on Saturday. "Their focus and concern for their son needs to be respected. I can't stress enough the need to respect their privacy and that all media inquires and announcements will be made through the Rangers organization. Our immediate focus will be to assist the Fanelli family and our players as we all deal with Ben's injuries."

Liambas, who was ejected from the game and given a match penalty for boarding, was reportedly very shaken up by the incident.

Here's the hit on Fanelli...
It's not pretty...

Coaching Career Ends For Kilrea

((HT: CP))

Andrew Agozzino's overtime goal ended the Ottawa 67's season, and coach Brian Kilrea's storied career ((pictured, thanks Dave Sandford/Getty Images)).

Agozzino scored 13 seconds into overtime to give the Niagara IceDogs a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the 67's Tuesday night to win their best-of-seven Ontario Hockey League opening-round series 4-3. His goal came as he took a centring pass from Freddie Hamilton and beat Adam Courchaine low stick side.

The 67's were eliminated after forcing Game 7 with a 4-0 win over Niagara Monday in Ottawa.
It was the final game behind Ottawa's bench for Kilrea, who retires with 1,193 wins, a Canadian junior hockey record. He will remain as the team's general manager.

"It's not so much the coaching as the fact that we lost the series," the Hall of Fame coach. "I wasn't thinking about anything else. I learned a long time ago that when you get beat with your best players on the ice you learn to accept it."

Kilrea took the time to congratulate his team on what he said was a season that produced much better results than he had imagined.

"If someone had said to me at the beginning of the year that we were going to win 40 games and take a team to seven games, I wouldn't have thought it. So it's not like this is a major disappointment," said Kilrea who has coached teams to three OHL titles and two Memorial Cup championships.

"I'm proud of them. We saw a lot of young kids improve this season and in tonight's lineup we had five 16-year olds who played well."

There wasn't a dry eye and barely a whisper to be heard from the 67's following the game. Owner Jeff Hunt said it was the most emotional 67's locker-room he had ever seen. Overager Thomas Kiriakou had to reject a few interviews as he was unable to compose himself.

"I can't take this jersey off," a tearful Corey Cowick said after the game. "Everything I owe in my career I owe to Brian Kilrea and to have it end like this is horrible. I would give anything to drop that puck again for him."

Here's the tribute that ran the night of Kilrea's last regular-season game in Ottawa for the 67's.

((HT: Ottawa 67's))

DeLory Gets Big Suspension

((HT: CP))

The bad blood between the Oshawa Generals and Kingston Frontenacs has resulted in another lengthy suspension.

The Ontario Hockey League suspended Oshawa's James DeLory for 12 games on Friday, punishment that comes after he viciously slashed Kingston's Nathan Moon before punching him in the back of the head. The incident occurred during a game in Kingston last weekend and was reviewed by commissioner David Branch.

DeLory, a six-foot-five defenceman who signed with the Florida Panthers last summer, was assessed a match penalty on the play.

"The actions of DeLory were most concerning, both the inappropriate use of the stick and the subsequent physical interaction with his opponent," said Branch.

Earlier this season, the OHL gave Frontenacs defenceman Zack Fenwick a 15-game suspension after he sucker-punched an Oshawa player.

((Video Courtesy: Cogeco Kingston 13))