Leaf notes: Return to Philly had a family Tie for Max

Article content

The Domi family’s unique relationship with fans in Philadelphia enters a new chapter on Thursday.

Article content

While Max Domi revels in the usually hostile atmosphere at the Wells Fargo Center, his dad, Tie, took it to another level in 2001, naturally in the visitors’ penalty box. When an amped-up fan leaned over the low glass to taunt the Toronto enforcer, Domi squirted him with a water bottle. That brought another spectator, Chris Falcone, into the fray, leaning over to chirp Domi, but the pane gave way and Falcone tumbled into the sin bin.

Article content

“It was like watching someone fall into the lion’s den at the zoo,” Leafs goalie Curtis Joseph laughed at the time of Domi wrestling with the 38-year-old cement worker from Havertown, Pa.

At first, Tie just tried to restrain Falcone, but when the fan started swinging at linesman Kevin Collins, who’d jumped into the box to separate them, Domi got off a few punches.

Article content

Article content

Max has seen the tape a few times.

“I thought it was pretty cool, pretty normal,” he said. “I’m not sure that fan was making clear decisions at that moment. Once he pushed the linesman — those guys were always my dad’s buddies with the job he had — he justified it.”
Max was just a six-year-old at the time, but has now played more than 600 NHL games, many at that rink, though this will be his first with the Leafs. The teams have a rivalry going back nearly 50 years and six playoff series.

“Fans there are awesome, they love their team,” Max said. “Look at the Flyers, the Sixers and the Eagles. The Eagles’ field is probably the hardest to play at I’ve been told. I love a passionate, loud fan base. That’s who you want to play in front of.
“Bobby Clarke (the Flyers’ great captain and like Max, challenged by diabetes as a player) was a hero of mine.”

Article content

A lawsuit was threatened by Falcone at the time, but he and Domi settled their differences without going to court, Tie hosting he and his family for a playoff game in Toronto.

“We solved it like two street guys,” Tie said later.

ON RECORD ROAD

Either Thursday in Philly or sometime before mid-April, coach Sheldon Keefe’s Leafs will get the one victory they need to become the first Toronto team to reach 20 on the road in three consecutive regular seasons.

“I wasn’t aware of that, but I do feel we’ve done better on the road than at home this season,” he said. “It’s hard to pin-point why. The mindset is a little different than at home. We’ve had some good, gutsy-type efforts on the road in tough circumstances and at home, we’re less consistent with our play with the puck, some defensive play and how we’ve managed games, for some reason.

Article content

“Certainly, you want to be comfortable in the other team’s building (the Leafs are trending to open the playoffs in either Boston or Florida), but you need to bring that every night, no matter the opponent, the building or circumstance in the schedule.”

Ilya Samsonov will start in net for Toronto against the Flyers.

Philadelphia coach John Tortorella will be somewhere on the premises, but not behind the bench as he serves the second of a two-game league suspension for verbal abuse of officials and refusal to leave a game when ejected.

Assistant Brad Shaw will be in charge, as he was in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over San Jose.

GOING GREEN

At practice Wednesday, the Leafs broke in the green-themed equipment they’re wearing for their home game against Carolina on Saturday, on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day and to celebrate the long tradition between the team and the Irish community in Toronto. The St. Patricks were the forerunners of the Leafs and won the 1922 Stanley Cup.

Article content

Winger Ryan Reaves joked that there’s not much chance he has Irish ancestry, but said: “I think they’re slick sweaters, I hope we get to keep them.”

Defenceman Morgan Rielly, who is Irish a way back (there might have been a mix-up at immigration when his grandfather or a Canadian official transposed a letter from the common surname spelling of ‘Reilly’) says he’s seen Saturday’s sweaters and might make that the one he keeps to display at home after retirement.

PUCKS AND FLICKS

There’s a hockey theme to this year’s Niagara Canada International Film Festival, June 1-2 at the Falls’ Convention Centre.

They’ll be screening the documentary short, The DNA of Love, the story of Akilah Love, entrepreneur, philanthropist and mother of five, including son Akil Thomas, who played for the OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs and was a second-round pick of the L.A. Kings in 2018.

Special guest at the festival is Andrew Barnsley, executive producer of Sports on Fire, Schitt’s Creek and Son Of A Critch.

[email protected]

X: @sunhornby

Article content