Tie Domi is one of the toughest guys ever to play in the NHL. Just ask Martin Havlat, who got to know Domi in one of the biggest rivalries of the game.
The Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs have a long-standing rivalry that has been dubbed ‘The Battle of Ontario.’ When Canada’s Capital and Ontario’s Capital hit the ice against one another, you know the contest will be chippy and heated. It’s a great rivalry that excites passionate fans.
The early 2000s may have been when the rivalry was at its hottest. There was absolute hatred in these games, and it showed during a 2001 contest between the clubs.
Got knocked out
During game one of the 2001 Conference Quarter-Finals, Toronto’s Tie Domi set the tone for the rest of the series. Senators forward Martin Havlat dumped the puck in and turned towards the bench inside the neutral zone. He was blindsided by Tie Domi (I am not saying it was dirty, Havlat was literally blindsided – he didn’t see it coming). The sheer force of the hit knocked Havlat a few feet back and Havlat took a while to get up.
He eventually made his way back to the bench (with help) before entering the locker-room.
It was a hard-hit that caught Havlat off-guard. The refs believed it was interference as Domi was given a penalty on the play but the Senators didn’t score.
Toronto hung on late to capture the opening game 1-0 and would go on to sweep Ottawa in four-games.
Check out the crazy Domi-hit down below:
