Flyers fan sues Leafs' Domi

A man who fell into the penalty box at a Philadelphia Flyers game and fought with Tie Domi is now suing the Toronto Maple Leaf tough guy.

Christopher Falcone, a 38-year-old cement worker from Havertown, Pennsylvania, is suing Domi, the Maple Leafs, linesman Kevin Collins and Comcast-Spectacor Inc., the company that owns the Flyers and the First Union Center where the game was played in 2001.

"To be honest, I thought it was an April Fool's joke,'' Domi told the Associated Press. "I don't really know much about it yet. I'll find out the details and deal with it.''

According to the suit, Falcone was sitting behind the penalty box when Domi began taunting and spaying fans with a water bottle. Domi claims fans were throwing beer and other things at him.

Falcone, who got wet, says he attempted to grab the water bottle from Domi while leaning against a glass partition that separates fans from the penalty box.

The partition gave way and Falcone fell into the box. Domi punched Falcone at least twice and pulled his sweatshirt over his head. Collins then jumped into the box to break up the scuffle.

Domi was fined $1,000 for the incident by the NHL.

Falcone's lawyer John P. Williamson told the Associated Press that his client suffered a gash on his forehead and "got the heck beat out of him, went to hospital, had not a lot of treatment, but somebody has to pay for it."

Among other things, the lawsuit alleges that the owners of the First Union Centre were negligent for the glass partition that gave way.

Comcast-Spectacor declined to comment on the suit, which seeks less than $50,000 U.S. Falcone does not name the Flyers in the lawsuit.

with files from the Associated Press