The Opening of Rangers-Devils Game Last Night Was Absolute Mayhem

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.

NJD + NYR both down two forwards & two defensemen for the next 59+ minutes. pic.twitter.com/fESpsEKa8b
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) April 3, 2024

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.