When Max Domi of the Toronto Maple Leafs hit Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers into the boards from behind in the dying seconds of the Panthers' 2-0 win in Game 4, he undoubtedly thought he was sending the Panthers a message.

But if that message is that the Maple Leafs are prepared to drag themselves and the Panthers into the alley in this series, it's a really bad message to send.

Teams that are successful in the playoffs, generally speaking, are proactive, not reactive. They play their own game and don't worry too much about their opponents' approach to things. They set the tone, dictate the terms of engagement and force the other team to match them.

For the Maple Leafs, that means using speed, skill and guile and not falling into the trap of thinking they're a physical match for the Panthers. They're a lot better in that regard than they've ever been, and they certainly need to respond when necessary, but taking cheap shots against that team is a recipe for disaster.

Watch today's video column for more.

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