NHL Referee Forced to Quit Florida Panthers vs Maple Leafs Game After Serious Injury Scare

It’s one of those nights, folks. Game 7 vibes with every ounce of drama you could ask for. The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs went into this Eastern Conference Semifinal finale like it was a movie script with playoff magic written all over it. From hot streaks to cold slumps, the Leafs came in fired up after a gritty 2-0 win in Game 6, finally getting Auston Matthews on the scoresheet and maybe, just maybe, setting up the stage for a full-on captain takeover. But the defending champs from Florida weren’t about to just fold, not without a fight. The Panthers had taken three straight before that stumble, and they were still loaded with offensive firepower, just waiting for Sam Reinhart to do his thing.

But, just when you thought the game couldn’t get any wilder-plot twist. With the Panthers already flexing a 3-0 lead as the second period rolled in, the attention suddenly shifted off the puck. Why? ‘Cause an NHL referee had to dip out mid-game after a serious injury scare. Yep, officials catch chaos too. Fans at Scotiabank Arena were buzzing, but for a sec, it wasn’t about the scoreboard; it was about hoping the ref was okay.

Things got real intense real quick at Game 7, and we’re not just talking slapshots and glove saves. Midway through the second period, with just under 19 minutes on the clock, the whole vibe at Scotiabank Arena shifted when referee Chris Rooney got caught in the wrong place at the worst time. Niko Mikkola, trying to clear the puck with a big ol’ swing near the boards, didn’t see Mitch Marner creeping in, and his stick followed through right into the ref’s face. It wasn’t pretty. “Chris Rooney was taken off with trainers after taking Mikkola’s stick near the eye,” Spittin’ Chiclets posted on X, and yeah… the video showed just how rough that hit was.

Rooney hit the ice instantly, clutching his face, blood on his hand, and holding a cloth to his eye as trainers rushed in. Even the stretcher rolled out. Both benches immediately flagged down the med team, showing just how serious this was. “Referee Chris Rooney took a follow-through from Niko Mikkola and needed assistance getting off the ice,” Gino Hard shared, summing it up. Honestly, the whole arena held its breath.

Chris Rooney was taken off with trainers after taking Mikkola's stick near the eye

pic.twitter.com/w2i3LAVSh3

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 19, 2025

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