NHL referee Chris Rooney takes stick to face in terrifying scene during Panthers-Leafs Game 7

NHL referee Chris Rooney took a stick to the face during the playoff game between the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The incident happened early in the second period as the Panthers and Maple Leafs were batting in Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs.

Rooney took the stick to the face when Florida’s Niko Mikkola was fighting for the puck. The game was stopped for several minutes, and a stretcher was brought out. However, Chris Rooney skated off with assistance while covering his face with a towel, per the Associated Press.

Horrible scene in Toronto: NHL ref Chris Rooney had to leave Panthers-Maple Leafs Game 7 after taking a stick to the face along the boards.

"You just hope that the eye is not damaged." pic.twitter.com/9aPkDNhyfi

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 19, 2025

According to his bio on the NHL Officials Association, Rooney became a full-time referee in the summer of 2002. He worked his first regular season game on Nov. 22, 2000, at Philips Arena (now State Farm Arena) in Atlanta when the Tampa Bay Lightning took on the defunct Thrashers.

Rooney worked his first playoff game on Apr. 14, 2003, when the Ottawa Senators took on the New York Islanders. His 1000th game was on Nov. 4, 2017, when the Washington Capitals faced the Boston Bruins. Rooney also worked the 2015 NHL All-Star game and was a referee in seven Stanley Cup Finals.

More on the Panthers vs. Maple Leafs matchup

The Panthers and Maple Leafs were battling to see who would take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals. Florida entered the playoffs as the defending Stanley Cup champions, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in last year’s championship series in seven games.

“The more times you’ve been in a situation, the more comfortable you’re going to be,” Panthers forward Sam Reinhart said ahead of Sunday’s game, per NHL.com. “From going through it together countless times, it’s comforting. You know what you’re going to expect out of the guy next to you, and that’s his best at a time like this.”

“At the end of the day, we were down 2-0 in this series, so we would’ve loved a Game 7 and this opportunity,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “We’re not going to sit here and pout about it. It’s an opportunity to make a name for ourselves again. We enjoy these games and enjoy these moments.”