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It was a bad Monday night to be a "zebra" in the NHL as two referees were felled by pucks to the face and head.

Our first victim wearing stripes was official Marc Joannette, who was minding his own business in the neutral zone at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto when a Dion Phaneuf clearing attempt caromed off the glass and into his face.

(The painful deflection also provided the Leafs with a scoring chance as the puck went from being a simple dump down the ice to a ricochet-off-the-face breakaway chance for Tyler Bozak on Carolina's Cam Ward.)

Joanette had to leave the ice for stitches and word is he also lost a couple teeth. Ouch.

There was an even more frightening incident in a game between Colorado and Dallas in Denver later Monday night. Ref Chris Rooney was plunked by a deflected slap-shot by the Stars' Jamie Oleksiak, which left the Rooney motionless behind the Colorado net for what must have seemed like an eternity:



Rooney was able to get on his own two feet before he was helped off the ice.

We visited this topic before and got your input, but has your view changed? Should referees be required to wear more protective equipment? Why or why not?

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