Finally, Chris Rooney is back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs! The veteran referee makes his Conference Final debut tonight alongside ref Dan O’Rourke after leaving Game 7 of Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Florida Panthers after taking a high stick to the face.
Dallas Stars at Edmonton Oilers
Western Conference Final
Game 4 – 8:00 PM ET
REFEREES |
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Chris Rooney #5 |
Dan O’Rourke #9 |
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| Games ’24-25 | 70 | 72 | ||||
| Career Games (RS/PO) | 1533 / 179 | 1520 / 215 | ||||
| First NHL Game | 11/22/00 | 10/2/99 | ||||
| Birthplace | Boston, MA | Calgary, AB | ||||
| Goals/Gm | 6.4 (5) | 6.1 (9) | 5.9 (29) | 5.6 (17) | ||||
| PP Opp/Gm | 5.6 (12) | 3.1 (18) | 5.2 (31) | 3.2 (17) | ||||
| PPG/Gm | 1.3 (10) | 0.5 (11) | 1.1 (26) | 0.6 (9) | ||||
| Penl/Gm | 6.8 (22) | 5.5 (22) | 6.4 (33) | 5.9 (20) | ||||
| PIM/Gm | 16.5 (15) | 12.6 (21) | 15.4 (27) | 12.9 (20) | ||||
| % of Penl on Home | 47.6% (35) | 52.3% (1) | 45.9% (26) | 47.2% (11) | ||||
| % PP Opp for Home | 53.6% (13) | 12.0% (20) | 53.7% (12) | 34.5% (3) | ||||
| Penl Diff.* | 1.3 (22) | 1.3 (10) | 1.2 (28) | 1.0 (15) | ||||
| Home Win % | 66% (9) | 75% (3) | 60% (29) | 56% (16) | ||||
| Home Rec. | 43-22-6 | 6-2 | 39-26-8 | 5-5 | ||||
| OT/SO Games | 15.7% (34) | 27.8% (2) | ||||
| Team Records | 24-25 | 23-24 | 22-23 | 24-25 | 23-24 | 22-23 |
| DAL | 5-0-0 | 4-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-1 | 4-1-0 | 4-2-0 |
| EDM | 2-1-1 | 1-1-0 | 4-3-0 | 5-0-1 | 2-2-0 | 2-0-0 |
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Ryan Gibbons #58 |
Ryan Daisy #81 |
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| Games ’24-25 | 74 | 72 | ||||
| Career Games (RS/PO) | 713 / 80 | 563 / 48 | ||||
| First NHL Game | 10/8/15 | 10/13/16 | ||||
| First Playoff Game | 4/12/17 | 4/12/19 | ||||
| Birthplace | Vancouver, BC | Mansfield, MA | ||||
Referees Chris Rooney and Dan O’Rourke are paired up for the first time this postseason. O’Rourke worked of Florida Panthers vs. Carolina Hurricanes Game 2 with ref Eric Furlatt, while Rooney was still recovering from his injury.
Rooney skated alongside Graham Skilliter in Round 2, working TOR/FLA Game 1, WSH/CAR Game 2, and WPG/DAL Game 3 (DAL W 5-2). He also handled TOR/FLA Game 7 with Jean Hebert.
Rooney previously skated with Jon McIsaac at STL/WPG Game 2, COL/DAL Game 3 (DAL W 2-1), FLA/TBL Game 4, and EDM/LAK Game 6.
The Dallas Stars have not lost a game under referee Chris Rooney since… Game 4 of the 2024 Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers. Only three penalties were called in that one. Dallas has nine-straight regular season victories with Rooney in stripes.
O’Rourke reffed Round 2 alongside Francois St-Laurent, handling FLA/TOR Game 2, WSH/CAR Game 3, EDM/VGK Game 5 (EDM W 1-0 OT*), and WPG/DAL Game 6 (DAL W 2-1 OT*).
He worked with Frederick L’Ecuyer in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at MIN/VGK Game 2, EDM/LAK Game 3 (EDM W 7-4), WSH/MTL Game 4, and OTT/TOR Game 5. He also worked COL/DAL Game 7 (DAL W 4-2) with Wes McCauley.
The Oilers are a combined 7-0-1 this season, including playoffs, when referee Dan O’Rourke is on the ice.
This postseason, Edmonton is 2-0 under either of tonight’s refs while Dallas is 4-0.
Linespersons Ryan Gibbons and Ryan Daisy were paired up starting in the second round, where they handled FLA/TOR Game 1, CAR/WSH Game 2, TOR/FLA Game 4, and DAL/WPG Game 5. The duo worked FLA/CAR Game 2 in the Conference Finals.
Series Summary
| Final | EDM PP |
DAL PP |
EDM Pnl/PIM |
DAL Pnl/PIM |
Refs | |
| Game 1 | DAL 6-3 | 1/3 | 3/4 | 7/14:00 | 6/12:00 | McCauley Charron |
| Game 2 | EDM 3-0 | 1/5 | 0/2 | 3/6:00 | 6/12:00 | Rank Hebert |
| Game 3 | EDM 6-1 | 1/3 | 0/2 | 3/6:00 | 4/8:00 | Furlatt Sutherland |
| Game 4 | Rooney O’Rourke |
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| Total | 3/11 (27%) |
3/8 (38%) |
13/ 26:00 |
16/ 32:00 |
Series Supervisor: Don VanMassenhoven
Stats have been updated through two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Data in blue shows current playoff stats and ranks.
Games: RS (Regular Season) / PO (Playoffs)
Stats/Numbers: ’24-25 avg. (’24-25 rank) | ’25 Playoffs (’25 Playoff rank)
Number in orange/parentheses indicated referee’s rank among active officials.
* Penalty Differential represents the absolute value of the variance of penalty calls by team per game. If Team A takes two more penalties (or two fewer) than Team B, this is a 2. Lower numbers indicate less variance between total penalties in a game – that is, a closer number of calls for both teams.
The full line-up of playoff officials for the Conference Finals of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs:
NHL Officials Moving on to Stanley Cup Playoff Conference Finals
We’ve got referee stats, new rules, new refs, promoted officials, and an updated pronunciation guide for 2024-25.
Here is the NHL’s officating roster for the 2024-25 season:
