Blatant referee bias just cost the Maple Leafs one of their top defensemen

Oliver Ekman-Larsson left Toronto's game vs. Vegas after being body slammed by Jeremy Lauzon, but the referee's decided it was better to turn a blind eye.

The Maple Leafs had a strong start to their game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night, jumping out to a 3-0 lead within the first ten minutes of the game. However, they let Vegas fight their way back and ended up falling in a shootout, though they came away with at least a point.

Maple Leafs lose Ekman-Larsson as Vegas gets away scot-free

But it wasn't without controversy, as the team lost defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson towards the end of the third period after he was checked hard by Golden Knights defender Jeremy Lauzon.

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The hit itself seemed innocuous at first, however it was the fact that Lauzon essentially body-slammed Ekman-Larsson to the ice which caused him to smack his head and leave him much worse for wear.

The hit went without a penalty call as referees determined that there was no infraction despite Ekman-Larsson leaving with injury and a clear convening with the other referees.

There's been no update on the veteran however head coach Jim Hiller is under the impression it's nothing too serious:

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Leafs Nation blasts the NHL officials for horrendous night

All we can hope for is that Ekman-Larsson is going to be okay and escaped serious injury, though if you were to check social media - you'd think Lauzon just committed a crime:

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But it wasn't just the hit that drew the ire of the Maple Leafs fans, as the officiating in the game seemed suspect at best and the fans were vocal about it online:

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To be fair, the fans have a right to be upset as the team ended up getting four calls compared to Vegas' lone call, and some of them certainly didn't pass the eye test at first glance.

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The backlash from the fanbase is going to be even more rage-filled if Ekman-Larsson misses any length of time, and the officials are going to be public enemy number one early on in the 2026-27 season.

All things considered, the Maple Leafs got a point and it seems like Ekman-Larsson avoided catastrophe though that remains to be seen. One thing is for sure though - fans are furious with every right to be.

Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Maple Leafs make a stunning last minute decision ahead of game vs. Golden Knights