“Our game is built on wearing teams down over the course of a seven-game series,” said Matthew Tkachuk on the Florida Panthers’ strategy to win Game 7 against the Maple Leafs. The game was always going to be heated, with brutal hits almost a guarantee. Yet nobody would have expected referee Chris Rooney to get caught in the crossfire.
It’s as exciting as things can get in an NHL game. Despite the Panthers having momentum on their side, the Toronto team managed to hold the fort and win Game 6 to force the best-of-seven series all the way to the last match. Naturally, fans were ready to see some gloves and mouthpieces taking flights at the Scotiabank Arena. But they didn’t expect it would be the ref, Chris Rooney, who would be amongst the fallen tonight.
A post by Spittin’ Chiclets on X from May 18 shared scenes for the Florida Panthers vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs at the latter’s home venue. “Chris Rooney was taken off with trainers after taking Mikkola’s stick near the eye,” reads the caption of the social media post, as the accompanying video showed the ref getting hit in the face by the Panthers’ star’s stick. Mikkola, who cleared the puck, didn’t see the Leafs’ Mitch Marner closing in on him. Niko was caught off guard, and he failed to control the swing on his stick.
The stick took Chris’s helmet off his head, and his body immediately curled up as a reaction to the hit. The NHL official was subsequently taken off the ice on, as the hockey fans at the stadium waited with bated breath to know if Rooney was okay. But it wasn’t just them. Fans from all over the world were concerned and immediately took to social media to note their unease over the incident.
Chris Rooney was taken off with trainers after taking Mikkola’s stick near the eye
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 19, 2025
Daily Face Off‘s Frank Seravalli wrote, “Prayers up for referee Chris Rooney,” amplifying the worries of the hockey connoisseurs. The moment arrived just seconds into the second period, and the play was stopped for several minutes to allow the paramedics to tend the Rooney’s wounds. Even though a stretcher was brought onto the ice, the ref managed to skate off with some assistance and a towel covering most of his face.
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The post “Prayers Up”: NHL Community Devastated as Referee Chris Rooney Suffers Brutal Eye Injury Amid Playoffs Battle appeared first on EssentiallySports.