Neilson blasts Domi after brawl

  During a second-period brawl, involving every player on the ice including goaltenders Curtis Joseph and Brian Boucher who danced at centre ice without throwing any hurtful punches, Domi intervened in a fight between Adam Burt of the Flyers and Tomas Kaberle of the Leafs.

  "After the first shot (from Domi), I was kind of out to lunch," Burt said afterwards. "I was kind of surprised he jumped in.

  "You know, if you're going to sock it to me, let's do it one on one."

  Neilson was even more outspoken.

  "Domi threw four punches at Burt, who couldn't defend himself," Neilson said. "You can't sucker somebody like that.

  "I was really surprised at Tie. I think he lost a lot of respect from the guys on my team, and from myself."

  Flyers captain Eric Lindros has made a mental note of Domi's antics.

  "I'm not going to get into it but we saw what happened," he offered.

  Domi, and the Flyers' Sandy McCarthy and Luke Richardson were ejected, and 66 minutes in other penalties were assessed after the brawl. McCarthy pummelled Dmitri Khristich, and Craig Berube went after Mike Johnson. The two Leafs are known pacifists.

  The Flyers were down 5-2 at the time. They eventually lost 6-4.

  "We're on the road, so we put out our two tough guys," Neilson explained, denying any intent on his part to instigate fights.

  Leafs coach Pat Quinn should have replaced Johnson and Khristich with tougher players when McCarthy and Berube were sent over the boards during the stoppage in play, Neilson suggested.

  "Pat was yelling at our bench complaining, but he had the last change," said Neilson. "He didn't answer the challenge.

  "He didn't have enough tough guys on the ice."

  Nine seconds prior to the brawl, Lindros and Alexander Karpovtsev fought after Lindros took exception to a knee-level check attempt by Toronto's big Russian defenceman. The incident fuelled emotions, which were already high given Neilson's decision Friday to inform his players that he has cancer. He found out he has the incurable disease after his team beat Toronto 4-2 Thursday night. The rematch was full of emotion.

  "After the rodeo, we got our act together," Lindros said of the Flyers' rally to close the gap to 5-4 before Jonas Hoglund's empty-net goal.

  While Neilson knocked Domi, Quinn was livid that McCarthy and Berube chose to fight Khristich and Johnson.

  "Are we playing hockey or that '70s scrum crap that we've already been through?" he said.

  There was a touching salute to Neilson early in the game. The in-arena video showed Neilson on the giant screen above centre ice and flashed a message: "Roger . . . This cheer's for you from all your fans in Toronto."

  The 19,000 spectators rose to applaud during a stoppage in play, and players on both teams gathered at their benches to slap their sticks against the boards in acknowledgement of the trials ahead for the 65-year-old coach. He blushed when he realized what was happening and tears welled up on his eyes.

  "I didn't really read the message," Neilson said afterwards. "I can't see so well.

  "But I saw my mug up there so I figured out what was happening. It was one of the nicest things that's happened to me in a while."

  With the win, Toronto moved past Philadelphia and into first place in the NHL's Eastern Conference.

  Garry Valk scored twice for the Leafs, and Steve Thomas, Johnson, Sergei Berezin and Hoglund added one each. Lindros, Mark Recchi, Daymond Langkow and Keith Jones scored Philadelphia's goals.

  Neilson gave his players today off. He consults with doctors Monday and begins chemotherapy Wednesday.

  "I've got about 100 phone calls to return," he said of his plans for today. "In these kind of things, the busier you are the better it is."

  Darryl Sittler, John Cullen and Paul Stewart were among the callers, he said.

  "It's great getting all this support," he added.

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