Around the AMHL: Breaking News

On Rink One, Shark defenseman John Bionelli, who on Wednesday morning broke his leg in two spots after a freak collision with Canadien forward Mike Moore, provided AMHL fans with insight on the accident. From his bed at an area hospital, he took a phone call from the AMHL media to discuss not only the accident but also his game-winning goal.

Bionelli, know in musical circles as the assistant tour manager for Boston-based Aerosmith and in face-off circles as the man who earned first-star status in the Summer 2006 Tuesday Championship, said of his game-winner against the AMHL Canadiens, “I was in the right place at the right time…pretty much all my goals are garbage goals.” He was especially pumped to score against Lower Sackville’s pride and joy, Kenny “KISS Fan” Tarr because of the Nova Scotian lad’s elite status among AMHL goalies.

But Bionelli’s joy would quickly turn to agony. Tired of seeing Moore stickhandle around him and his fellow Sharks, Bionelli guessed which tack Moore would take—just before the Canadien fan favorite made his first move. “He went one way,” Bionelli said from his hospital bed; “I cut another.” Boom!

Bionelli doesn’t remember seeing or banging into a defensive partner, but one account—from AMHL E-mail King Ken Tarr—holds that another Shark player was involved. Neither Bionelli’s teammate nor Moore suffered serious injury. At least neither needs pins and rods to hold the bones in his lower leg together.

Bionelli, the hardware successfully inserted, confirmed that he’s done for the season but was in good spirits. He holds Moore in high regard and harbors no hard feelings. Will Bionelli make a comeback next season, though? “It’s a long road back,” he said. Good thing Aerosmith doesn’t have any tour dates scheduled…

In other comeback news…Dr. Greg Catalano, whose bad back had held him out of AMHL action for the past three years, was on Rink Two on Wednesday morning. Wearing a Rangers jersey, he acknowledged the AMHL press corps with a wave and broad smile but issued no statement about his return or prediction for his production totals. In two games so far, Catalano has not registered a point, but the AMHL legend has stayed out of the penalty box…

If ill-fitting hockey gear was a penalty, Scott Gelin would be in the sin bin. Gelin, who had read the comments about his hockey attire in last season’s Wednesday AMHL Championship story said on Thursday morning that he had no plans to retire his grungy high school hockey socks because he can’t find mesh hockey socks anywhere. But, Gelin did buy new hockey pants, which should make the AMHL photographer happy.