Sure, the linesmen and referees get more involved in breaking up fights or outright provide a buffer before a scrum breaks out, but when the lines on both sides start duking it out—you need to let the boys rumble. That happened last night during the fourth Battle of the Hudson River between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils. It only took two seconds into the first period for Madison Square Garden to become a host to fight night. Even Rangers coach Peter Laviolette and Devils interim head coach Travis Green were captured chirping at each other during the melee.
The coaches want a piece of the action tonight at MSG @spittinchiclets pic.twitter.com/K1ct6u0a1B
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 3, 2024
Eight match penalties were called after the beatdown. There’s something about these fisticuffs that gets the crowd going. Matt Rempe, who is 6′ 7″ and weighs 241 pounds, is the newest center to the Rangers and has quickly become a fan favorite for being unafraid to drop the gloves. He also adds some size to the line-up, helping the Blueshirts with some much needed physicality, especially in the forecheck (via NY Post):
🚨 LINE BRAWL 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Opfl2QDivO
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) April 3, 2024
The beautiful game… #NYR pic.twitter.com/2vvJg92UyV
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) April 3, 2024
Ejections to Rempe, Goodrow, Miller, Trouba + MacDermid, Tierney, Nahl, Marino.
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) April 3, 2024
NJD + NYR both down two forwards & two defensemen for the next 59+ minutes. pic.twitter.com/fESpsEKa8b
This was building up all season long.
Deploying their fourth lines to start their third and final meeting of the season, with the Rangers’ face-puncher Matt Rempe on one side and the Devils’ enforcer Kurtis MacDermid on the other, a five-on-five line brawl ensued off the opening faceoff in a chaotic scene at center ice of Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
Rempe, who had been ejected (and then suspended for four games once) in each of the previous two meetings for hits that knocked Devils players out for extended periods of time, took on MacDermid.
K’Andre Miller squared off with John Marino.
[…]
The Rangers lost Miller, Trouba, Rempe and Goodrow, while the Devils lost MacDermid, Marino, Bahl and Tierney.
CUYLLE AND MERCER ARE GOING AT IT NOW ‼️ pic.twitter.com/lmjrgg2fW9
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 3, 2024
The Rangers went on to win the game 4-3, with the Devils suffering another third-period collapse. The Devils lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 2 after being up 3-1 in the third period. The Penguins would win 6-3
The Rangers remain atop the Metropolitan Division and have already clinched another trip to the playoffs. The Devils won’t be there.
It's the first time the Rangers have sept the Devils since the 2014-15 season.
***
Last note: the social media reactions were great:
Rangers & Devils every 30 secondspic.twitter.com/5s0aK99u3e
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 3, 2024
That’s just some good old fashion hockey pic.twitter.com/NY6U7gTg93
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 3, 2024
Rangers vs Devils right now pic.twitter.com/z9kdJcBR7g
— Memesy (@chicletsmemes) April 3, 2024
There will never be another sport like hockey
— The Garden Faithful (@GardenFaithful) April 3, 2024
Henrik Lundqvist loved watching the opening line brawl 🤣
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) April 4, 2024
(via @BR_OpenIce) pic.twitter.com/Wu6d3rqtkk
Hang it in the Louvre pic.twitter.com/QPoVhP05s6
— Empty Netters (@EmptyNettersPod) April 4, 2024
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