Top NHL referee Chris Rooney injured in playoff match

In Canada, specifically during a high-stakes playoff game, an incident occurred involving NHL referee Chris Rooney. During Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs, Rooney sustained a severe injury shortly after the game resumed at the start of the second period. Just 13 seconds into the period, while officiating the game down low near the boards, Rooney was inadvertently struck in the face by the stick of Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola, who was engaged in a physical battle for the puck. This unexpected accident led to a significant cut near Rooney's right eye, causing him to immediately grab his face and collapse to the ice, where he began bleeding profusely. The injury was serious enough to halt the game for several minutes as medical personnel rushed onto the ice, and a stretcher was ultimately brought to assist in removing Rooney from the playing surface for urgent medical evaluation and treatment. Fortunately, despite the severity of the injury, Rooney remained responsive and exhibited no signs of further injury beyond the visible cut. Following this unfortunate event, NHL officials implemented protocol by utilizing stand-by officials, allowing Garrett Rank to take over as one of the two referees for the remainder of the game. He joined the officiating crew that included referee Jean Hebert, along with linespersons Devin Berg and Jonny Murray. In Rooney's absence, the game resumed, and shortly thereafter, the Panthers capitalized on their opportunity, taking control of the game and building an impressive 3-0 lead after scoring goals from players Seth Jones, Anton Lundell, and Jonah Gadjovich. The outcome of this critical matchup determines which team will move on to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the upcoming Eastern Conference finals, intensifying the importance of every decision made by officials like Rooney during the playoffs.