GAME: Toronto Maple Leafs (29-14-8-3) at Ottawa Senators (28-15-7-3).

TIME: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST.

The rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators seems to intensify every time they face each other.

Toronto and Ottawa continue their battle for first place in the Northeast Division when they meet for the second time in six days.

Senators forward Daniel Alfredsson enraged the Leafs after he broke his stick in Ottawa's 7-1 rout of Toronto on Jan. 8 and faked throwing it in the stands.

The Senators captain was poking fun at Toronto captain Mats Sundin, who was suspended for throwing his broken stick into the stands against the Nashville Predators on Jan. 6.

"I don't want to comment on that guy. I lost a lot of respect for him," Toronto's Tie Domi said of Alfredsson.

The Leafs avenged that loss with a 5-1 win over Ottawa on Saturday in a very physical game.

Domi received five penalties with 25 seconds left in the game, including a game misconduct and an unsportsmanlike conduct for instigating a fight with Ottawa's Shaun Van Allen.

Domi was angered that Alfredsson kneed Sundin late in the third. He also didn't like that Van Allen whacked Sundin and goalie Ed Belfour with his stick.

"We didn't try to hurt any of their guys. We didn't try do anything stupid. Those things were uncalled for," Domi said.

Van Allen said Domi "gouged his eyes."

"They can say whatever they want. I didn't gouge anybody. I've been in this league a long time, over 3,000 penalty minutes, I've never gouged a guy in my whole career," said Domi, who took exception to Van Allen's jaw protector.

"He thinks he's untouchable because he wears something around his chin. If he's going to play the way he does, and go after our best players, and butt-end our captain and spear our goalie, he better be expecting something to come."

Toronto leads the Northeast with 69 points, the Boston Bruins are in second place with 67 while Ottawa is three points behind the Leafs in third.

Toronto could be without Belfour, who sat out Tuesday's 5-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks because of a sore back. If Belfour can't play, Trevor Kidd will start and Mikael Tellqvist will serve as the backup.

Ottawa suffered its third loss in four games on Tuesday, falling 2-1 to the New Jersey Devils.

Toronto has won two of three against Ottawa this season after winning just three times in the previous 16 meetings.