One would think, in a series between the defending Stanley Cup champions and one of the NHL's flagship franchises, the officials would make an effort to blend in.
That has not been the case through two games of the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs' second-round series. First, in Game 1, the referees came under scrutiny when Panthers center Sam Bennett hit Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz in the head.
Then, in a highly physical Game 2, Florida center Evan Rodrigues was called for embellishment on a hit from Toronto center Scott Laughton that sent Rodrigues to the locker room.
Evan Rodrigues just got a two minute penalty for embellishment for this.
— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) May 8, 2025
He's also in the locker room due to the hit and won't be in the box to serve his embellishment.
What a joke of a call. pic.twitter.com/Mx3qj1LzhI
The call earned criticism from ESPN's American commentary team and hampered the Panthers, who entered the third period trailing 3–2.
Florida lost Game 1 5–4 in Ontario, with Rodrigues taking one shot in his team's narrow defeat. The 10th-year Toronto native scored 15 goals and 17 assists for the Panthers this season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Panthers' Evan Rodrigues Called for Embellishment on Hit That Sent Him to Locker Room.
