Maple Leafs' Domi avoids suspension, fined for boarding Barkov late in Game 4

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi received a $5,000 fine on Monday for boarding Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov in the dying seconds on Game 4 between the two teams on Sunday.

The incident took place as players from both teams battled for the puck in the Panthers' zone and Domi checked an unsuspecting Barkov from behind head-first into the boards. The hit sparked a scrum between players on both teams to end the game.

While the buzzer sounded on Toronto's 2-0 loss, Domi was assessed a five-minute major for boarding on the game sheet. 

Asked about the hit Monday, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said the league should shift their focus to look at the Dmitry Kulikov of the Panthers, who went uncalled for an apparent elbow on Mitch Marner earlier in Game 4.

"To me the Kulikov hit on Marner was 10 times worse," Berube told reporters.

Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said post-game on Sunday that Barkov was believed to be fine after taking the late hit. The 29-year-old star centre has three goals and eight points in nine games this postseason. 

"I think the league looks at those things very closely, especially at that point in the game and that's their job," Maurice said when asked about the Domi hit post-game. 

"I've got no thoughts today," Maurice told reporters on Monday after the fine was announced. "It's not my job. Other people do that job."

Domi has two goals and four points in 10 games in the playoffs while averaging 12:53 of ice time. The Maple Leafs have iced the same lineup among their skaters in eight straight games this spring.

With the series now knotted at two games apiece, Game 5 will take place Wednesday in Toronto.