NHL referee Chris Rooney blasted by fans for poor officiating in Game 2 of Stanley Cup

The NHL referee Chris Rooney, who was in charge of Game 2 between the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights, has come under fire from the fans with many accusing him of his poor officiating throughout the game.

Game 2 between the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights was an intense and physically demanding battle, resulting in a combined total of 148 penalty minutes for both teams.

During Game 2, Chris Rooney and his crew handed out 10-minute misconduct penalties to Matthew Tkachuk, Anthony Duclair, and Casey Fitzgerald. Additionally, Eric Staal received a misconduct penalty for abusing the officials.

Rooney's decisions have sparked numerous questions on Twitter regarding his officiating, particularly as all these penalized players belonged to the Florida Panthers.

Despite being an experienced NHL referee, currently officiating his sixth Stanley Cup Finals, Chris Rooney is not the only official to face criticism for their decisions in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, raising concerns among league authorities.

The number of 10-minute misconducts issued in Game 2 ultimately turned against the Florida Panthers who were humiliated by the Vegas Golden Knights with a resounding 7-2 victory.

The Vegas Golden Knights lead the series 2-0 and are now only two wins away from hoisting their first-ever Stanley Cup. Game 3 takes place on Thursday, June 8 at the FLA Live Arena in Florida.

A look into the officiating career of Chris Rooney

Chris Rooney joined the NHL as a minor league referee in 1999 when he was 24 years old. After spending three seasons in the minors, he earned a promotion to the role of a full-time NHL referee in 2002.

His first NHL regular season game took place in November 2000 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Atlanta Thrashers. Wearing the number 5 on his back, Rooney has been officiating in the NHL for over 20 years.

In his NHL officiating career, Ronney has officiated over 1300 regular season games. He's also officiated the 2012, 2013, 2018, 2019, and 2022 Stanley Cup Finals. The 2023 Stanley Cup Finals marked his sixth Cup Finals appearance in his officiating career.

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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NHL referee Chris Rooney blasted by fans for poor officiating in Game 2 of Stanley Cup - "He's making hockey a P*SSY sport"

A look into the officiating career of Chris Rooney