By PATRICK KING

sportsnet.ca

An Ontario Hockey League player's health hangs in the balance after a brutal hit on Friday.

Kitchener Rangers rookie defenceman Ben Fanelli suffered skull and facial fractures as a result of a hit from Erie Otters forward Mike Liambas. Fanelli lay motionless on the ice before being rushed to hospital. He was later airlifted from Grand River Hospital to Hamilton General Hospital, where his status was upgraded to serious but stable condition on Tuesday.

"Ben's parents and family experienced something that we all wish would never happen," Rangers chief operating officer Steve Bienkowski said in a release.

"We're all brothers in the game," Otters general manager Sherry Bassin said. "Our No. 1 concern is with the boy."

Liambas received a five-minute major for boarding and a match penalty. The OHL is reviewing the hit and a ruling is expected later this week.

"It is an emotional time and I think it is best if we let things settle before revisiting the hit," league president David Branch told Sportsnet's Mike Brophy on Saturday.

Fanelli was Kitchener's third pick in the 2009 OHL priority selection. He recorded one assist in seven games.

Editor's note: On Wednesday OHL commissioner David Branch suspended Liambis for the balance of the 2009-10 playing season including playoffs.

WHL ROSTER ANNOUNCED

Tyson Barrie will make a rare homecoming.

The product of Victoria was named to the Western Hockey League roster that will play a traveling Russian team in the Canada vs. Russia Super Series later this month. The first game will be played in Victoria's Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, the first such time this event will be played in a market that is not home to a team.

"Coming into the year it was my goal to be on this team," Barrie told sportsnet.ca. "It should be good to get back to Victoria -- I haven't been there since the season started. I'll have lots of family there and friends so it will be fun."

Barrie has never played at the rink in Victoria but said he is familiar with it after having watched games at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. He will also suit up in the second game on Nov. 26 at his club's home rink in Kelowna.

"I think I got real fortunate this year with the games being in Victoria and back in Kelowna and I get to play in both of them," he said.

The Russian team will play two games each against teams from the WHL, OHL and QMJHL. All games can be seen on Rogers Sportsnet.

The series is used as an evaluating tool for Hockey Canada in advance of naming their world junior selection camp roster.

Regina Pats teammates Colten Teubert and Jordan Eberle are the only two players named to the game that played on the Canadian world junior team last Christmas.

Calgary and Brandon lead the league in players nominated to the game with three each. Representing the Hitmen are: forward Brandon Kozun, defenceman Michael Stone and goaltender Martin Jones. The Wheat Kings will be represented by: forwards Scott Glennie and Brayden Schenn and defenceman Colby Robak.

The Canadian Hockey League holds the historical edge 30-6 through the seven-year history of the series with the Russians. The WHL holds a 9-1 record as the Russians won their only meeting in Cranbrook, B.C., in 2007.

The other four games will be played in Drummondville and Shawinigan, Que. and in Barrie and Windsor, Ont.

HURRICANES RECEIVE BOOST

Luca Sbisa is a late addition to the Lethbridge Hurricanes' roster for the second year in a row.

The physical, two-way defenceman was sent back to the WHL's Hurricanes from the Anaheim Ducks prior to last weekend's games. He was sent back to Lethbridge by the Philadelphia Flyers in February last season after having played in 39 games as a rookie.

The move was a surprise for the Hurricanes, who had since acquired Czech forward Radim Valchar to fill out their second available import position.

"We had no expectations that he'd be back in junior at all," Hurricanes head coach and general manager Rich Preston said. "It was a really pleasant surprise and a really good player that's going to help our team."

The team now expects to move Valchar, who had been acquired from the Portland Winterhawks earlier this season.

The demotion back to junior is always hard for players once they get a taste of life in the National Hockey League. For Sbisa, it must have been even harder considering he suited up in 47 games for two teams in the NHL.

"I'm sure it was very disappointing for him and for every player (sent back to junior) it should be," Preston said. "He's a solid kid and I think once you get over the emotion of the moment of being told you're going to go back…you have to get playing. He's done that now and he's been fine."

The Hurricanes haven't been fine in goal, however. Overage goaltender Linden Rowat is listed as week-to-week after an ankle injury forced him out of Friday's game. Backup goaltender Ville Kolppanen is also sidelined with a concussion sustained in practice.

As for Sbisa's immediate future in Lethbridge, Preston plans on keeping him in the fold to gain ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

"Yes (laughs)," Preston said when asked if teams have inquired about Sbisa's availability through trade. "He's a big-time commodity, that's for sure.

"This next stretch is imperative to get back in the hunt and having a guy like Sbisa really helps us."

NOTES: The Windsor Spitfires announced Igor Larionov and Marcel Pronovost as honourary captains for the Super Series game in Windsor on Nov. 23 … The Owen Sound Attack traded forward Mike Lomas to the Peterborough Petes in exchange for three draft picks ... Portland Winterhawks goaltender Kurtis Mucha tied Lanny Ramage's franchise record with his eighth career shutout … The Brandon Wheat Kings acquired Paul Van de Velde from the Everett Silvertips … Calgary acquired overage forward Del Cowan from the Prince George Cougars … Sault Ste. Marie traded forward Kyle DeCoste to the Belleville Bulls. The Soo also sent overage forward T.J. Battani to the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors … The QMJHL suspended Etienne St-Germain five games and David Stich two games … The Attack will honour veteran forward Marcus Carroll prior to Wednesday's game for playing in his record 265th game with the franchise … Sunday's game between the Moncton Wildcats and Montreal Juniors was canceled due to many of the Wildcats players awaking with a fever.