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.

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.

Game 7 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers took a scary turn early in the second period when referee Chris Rooney took an errant stick in the face. A bloody Rooney then exited the game with medical trainers tending to him.