Brandon Carlo and Max Domi Engage in Intense Clash at Maple Leafs Practice

It's the time of year where things are getting tense. The playoffs are just around the corner, teams are trying to fight for a last minute berth, and things are slowly taking shape as the regular season comes to a close.

So it's not unsurprising that the tension has spilled over into practice, and for the Maple Leafs, it seemed to involve a David and Goliath-esque situation:

Teammates Brandon Carlo and Max Domi seemed to get into a bit of a shoving match during practice when things got heated, although Carlo realized the error of his ways and made sure Domi wasn't worse for wear.

Whether it's a sign that things are getting a little testy towards the end of the season, or maybe Carlo had some last-minute vengeance for Domi from his time in Boston, it's a good thing that it ended as quickly as it started, and shouldn't affect the team going forward.

Craig Berube has to feel both positive and negative about the situation. While he loves the fact the two are passionate and intense, there's a real concern that if this doesn't get figured out and squashed soon, it could boil over into their playoff run.

There's no doubt that things can get a bit heated, and for good reason.

Toronto is looking to stamp their name on an Atlantic Division title, and with Tampa and Florida still nipping at their heels, everyone needs to be at their best, and perhaps Carlo saw Domi putting in less effort he deemed suitable for the intensity of future games.

But don't count on the two to have any big beef as Toronto finishes the rest of the season, and with another game against Florida and some real tough competition ahead of them, there's really no time for any more fighting or bickering.

This season hasn't been the best for Domi, although he's picked things up as of late.

In 67 games he's registered 30 points (8G, 22A) and has faced a lot of criticism for his lack of defense and large contract, but if he can keep on a good pace, it could pay dividends for Toronto.

Carlo, who came over at the deadline for prospect Fraser Minten, has skated in 13 games for the Leafs registering one assist, 19 hits and 3 blocks in 18:14 TOI.

We'll see how the two co-exist as they take the ice against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night,