Max Domi explained why he was touching his hair following his fight with Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett on Tuesday night.
Domi and Bennett’s interactions began during the first period of Tuesday’s game after the Maple Leafs forward cross-checked Matthew Tkachuk. Bennett didn’t like it, so he came over, checked and held onto Domi before Domi gave him a few shoves.
Domi would then get a double minor, the first for cross-checking Tkachuk, and the other for roughing Bennett.
“I have a lot of respect for Sam,” said Domi following Toronto’s morning skate on Thursday. “I’ve known him off the ice a little bit, a competitor just as I am, and a good player too.”
Later in Tuesday’s game, though, the two got into it again. Domi received a hit from Tkachuk, and then another from Bennett, which resulted in both players dropping the gloves halfway through the second period.
Following the fight, Domi was seen looking at Bennett while feeling his hair, which gained a lot of traction on social media.
“I definitely didn’t think about that (beforehand),” Domi said. “It was just spur of the moment emotions, but just making sure my hair was still there.”
This was Domi’s second fighting major of the season. His first was against Ian Cole on Nov. 11 after the Vancouver Canucks’ defenseman delivered a big hit on Nick Robertson.
Domi is yet to score his first goal on Toronto and currently has 11 assists through 20 games this season. He signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Maple Leafs on July 2.