Getty
Matt Rempe #73 of the New York Rangers fights with Matt Martin #17 of the New York Islanders
Hockey fans worldwide will have a final chance to enjoy the rivalry between the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders as both teams are scheduled to add a new chapter to it on a matinee puck drop on Saturday, April 13 at Madison Square Garden.
Following back-to-back wins by the Rangers in the February 18 Stadium Series and then on March 17, the Islanders flipped the script last Tuesday when they defeated their in-state rivals 4-2 for the first time this season in a game that featured a couple of controversial, “vicious” hits by the winning team, even if they don’t think so.
Perhaps that’s the main reason for Rangers’ head coach Peter Laviolette‘s decision ahead of Saturday’s contest when he is expected to bring rookie enforcer Matt Rempe back to the lineup.
The Rangers practiced on Friday ahead of Saturday’s matinee and coach Laviolette used Rempe on the right wing of the fourth line, the usual role played by the rookie throughout this first NHL season.
The Islanders took the day off, and we’re still waiting to know more about Noah Dobson’s status after he left the Isles game on Thursday midway through the first period. He could miss the remainder of the season and perhaps time into the playoffs.
Matt Rempe Could Come In Handy Against the Islanders
Following a couple of dubiously ethical hits completed by Islanders players Adam Pelech and Noah Dobson, which coach Laviolette called “vicious” and “intentional,” there was an expectation for having Rempe back and playing on Saturday.
Rempe has a history of not having much problem going for a fight or instigating a brawl, so don’t rule out another one happening in the series finale between both New York teams played on April 12.
The Rangers rookie made his NHL debut in February against the New York Islanders. That game, which happened outdoors in front of a 79,000 crowd inside MetLife Stadium, already gave a glimpse into what Rempe’s start to his NHL career would become.
Rempe fought veteran Isles forward Matt Martin there and since then, he has gotten into four more fights. Rempe has fought five times in just 15 games and 84 minutes of ice time. In parallel, he’s logged 69 penalties in minutes to date.
Will Matt Rempe Get Scratched Throughout the Playoffs?
Rempe will have to produce on the ice and put on a solid performance if he doesn’t want to fall out of the Rangers rotation for the playoffs, however, as documented by Heavy on April 11.
In a piece published on April 10, Vince Mercogliano of LoHud shared his thoughts on the Rangers rotation less than two weeks before the start of the playoffs.
According to the beat reporter, there is a strong chance Rempe gets scratched steadily from the team’s lineups in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on a game-by-game basis.
“For a while, I was thinking Matt Rempe was the favorite to earn the 12th and final spot next to Vesey and Barclay Goodrow,” Mercogliano wrote. “But since Rempe’s four-game suspension for elbowing and concussing Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler on Mar. 11, he’s only appeared in five out of 15 games.
“His limited late-game usage suggests that Laviolette isn’t all that confident deploying him when the score gets tight.”
As Mercogliano put it, New York could opt to use someone with a larger impact on the actual game and who can contribute outside of getting into fights and inspiring his teammates by pulling off a couple of big hits.
Truth be told, Rempe only has scored 1 goal and 1 assist through his 15 NHL games, quite a pedestrian–if not straight awful–production no matter the role and playing time he’s spent on the ice.
“If I’m reading the tea leaves correctly,” Mercogliano wrote, “the odds aren’t looking great for (Rempe) to draw an assignment for Game 1.”
Antonio Losada covers the NHL for Heavy.com. A veteran sports writer based in Spain, Antonio has covered the NBA, NFL and soccer for over 10 years, with bylines at SB Nation, FanSided, Yahoo Sports, FanGraphs, RotoBaller and more. He has also been nominated for multiple FSWA awards, including Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and DFS Writer of the Year. More about Antonio Losada
Also Read More: World News | Entertainment News | Celebrity News
