Domi's second-period goal was his 100th point as a Maple Leaf, reaching the mark in 196 games with Toronto.
Max Domi's importance to the Toronto Maple Leafs should not be understated.
The 30-year-old was an assist off a Gordie Howe Hat Trick on Saturday night in the Maple Leafs' 5-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks. But his fighting spirit is, in part, sparking Toronto to become a more feisty group.
Domi scored the Maple Leafs' second goal of the game after Canucks forward Liam Ohgren turned the puck over at his own blue line. Once the puck came to Troy Stecher in the neutral zone, the defenseman fed Domi a great pass, and he buried it for his fifth goal of the season.
It's only game 42 for Domi, but he's four goals off the most he's ever had in a season with the Maple Leafs, which is nine. (His career-high for goals in a season is 28, which he had with the Montreal Canadiens in 2018-19.)
It's also worth mentioning that Domi's goal was his 100th point as a Maple Leaf. He reached the mark in game 196 with Toronto.
When the score was 4-0 Maple Leafs, Domi didn't hesitate to drop the gloves, either.
After he and Marcus Pettersson traded shots in front of the Canucks' net, the two quickly threw off the gloves. Domi clearly got the best of the fisticuffs, dealing blow after blow to a 6-foot-5 Pettersson, who eventually went down.
"It was just awesome," smiled Matias Maccelli after the game. "Threw a couple rights and then switched to lefty. I didn't know he had that, but it was just unreal. I mean, he's the heavyweight now."
It wasn't just him, though, who got into it with their opponents on Saturday. A lot of the team did, really. In one instance, Easton Cowan got into it with Nils Hoglander, which ended with both players going to the box.
In countless other instances, scrums would ensue around the Maple Leafs' net if a Canucks player got too close to Joseph Woll.
"You can just see everybody. They're like, you know, I call it a pack of wolves," said Craig Berube on Saturday night. "Get in there and stick up for your teammates and your goalie and, you know, (Cowan's) in there. It's good. We're tight right now. We've got to keep being tight."
Woll, who picked up his second shutout of the season on Saturday night, wasn't surprised to see Domi rock 'em sock 'em in the middle frame.
"That guy's fearless, and he's a pretty tough dude," he chuckled. "Not someone I'd want to fight. Glad he's on our team."
Berube has often spoken glowingly about Domi whenever the forward drops the mitts. He did the same on Saturday night after the game, also describing his importance to the team.
"Max has a lot of influence and respect on our team, and when he takes on a way bigger opponent and does what he does, I mean, Max, he's tough," Berube said. "I mean, he can handle himself, so it's good to see."
Domi has played strongly for the Maple Leafs ever since he was a healthy scratch on Dec. 20, when Toronto took on the Nashville Predators. The forward has eight points (two goals, six assists) in his last 10 games.
"Max has played really well lately," added Berube, "and it seems like there's some really good chemistry with him and (Auston) Matthews going on."
But did Berube, in his playing (or fighting) days, ever throw combos against his opponents, as Domi did on Pettersson?
"I didn't really throw many lefts. I was mostly a righty, to be honest with you," Berube laughed.
"But he's good at it. The old man taught him."