During Game 7 between the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs, NHL referee Chris Rooney was struck in the face by a player’s stick, causing a bloody injury and forcing him off the ice. This incident highlights the overlooked risks referees face and raises urgent questions about the NHL’s safety measures for officials in high-pressure playoff games.

NHL referee Chris Rooney received stitches above his eye after taking an inadvertent stick to the face during Game 7 of the Toronto Maple Leafs-Florida Panthers series. Early in the second period Rooney was in the corner near Florida defenseman Niko Mikkola and Toronto right winger Mitch Marner when Mikkola's stick hit him in the face.

Chris Rooney was hurt 13 seconds into the second period when he caught an errant stick in the face during the Panthers-Maple Leafs game.