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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Robert Zeglinski

Ref Chris Rooney had the most awkward, unnecessary speech before dropping the puck for Rangers-Lightning

Rangers Lightning NHL

Tuesday saw the NHL kick off the 2022-2023 season with intriguing Opening Night games in New York and Los Angeles. One referee, Chris Rooney, decided to (or was forced?) mark the occasion with a little bit of an extra unnecessary something before the start of the Rangers (-1.5) and Lightning’s matchup.

Before Rooney dropped the puck to let New York and Tampa Bay get officially rolling, he delivered a welcome speech. Actually, saying it was just a “speech” would be underselling the stunt. Rooney delivered a stilted welcome speech that felt as if he was reading directly off a teleprompter script without changing much of his tone or enunciation.

Regardless of any Opening Night festivities, it was as awkward and unnecessary as it sounds:

“What’s better than this?” he said with no change to voice whatsoever.

Honestly, Rooney is delivering less of a “speech” and more of a “press release” that he may or may not have practiced much, too.

Why Rooney or the NHL powers that be felt this had to be included, I don’t know. What I do know is that it was positively hilarious for the sheer awkwardness alone — especially as the surrounding Rangers and Lightning players stared on in silence, waiting for him to finish.

NHL fans thought Rooney's awkward pre-game speech was hilarious

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