NHL referee Chris Rooney is reportedly aiming to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs. He sustained a black eye after being struck by a high stick during Game 7 of the series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. Reports indicate the injury is not severe or long-term, and he hopes to officiate again soon.
The incident occurred early in the second period on Sunday. Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola, attempting to play the puck along the boards, inadvertently struck Rooney in the face with his stick. The official immediately fell to the ice, and players urgently called for medical assistance as he bled visibly from the facial injury.
Trainers attended to Rooney on the ice for some time. When he eventually left the ice, covering his face with a towel, significant amounts of blood were visible on the ice surface and surrounding boards where the veteran referee was injured.
Despite the injury, Rooney managed to skate off the ice unaided. The TNT broadcast covering the game reported he received stitches for a laceration above his eye. Following Rooney`s departure from the game, Garrett Rank stepped in as the replacement referee for the remainder of the pivotal Game 7 matchup.
Rinkside commentator Brian Boucher noted that Mikkola was reportedly surprised to learn his stick was responsible for the injury to the official. Play was paused after Rooney left the ice while the ice crew spent a few minutes cleaning up the blood before resuming the game.
