Rangers’ big rookie throws haymakers in old-school hockey fight

PHILADELPHIA—It’s almost become routine at this point.

On Saturday at Wells Fargo Center, Rangers fourth

-line forward Matt Rempe and Nicolas Deslauriers went at it only three minutes into the first period, exchanging punches before Deslauriers slammed Rempe down the ice.

Everything began as the couple skated in circles for over a dozen seconds after their gloves touched the ice.

The remaining Rangers and Flyers skaters moved out of the way. The officials did not even try to interfere.

The remaining Rangers and Flyers skaters moved out of the way.

The officials did not even try to interfere. The remaining Rangers and Flyers skaters moved out of the way.

The officials did not even try to interfere.

The public address system even rang a bell to indicate that a fight was taking place.

Matt Rempe drops the gloves for three minutes. And when Rempe, who stands 6-foot-8,

raced forward Deslauriers, the two exchanged blows for over 40 seconds until the top of Rempe’s jersey was pulled onto his head,

which he attempted to adjust with one hand and ended up on the ice.

It was Rempe’s second fight in four games since being brought up from AHL Hartford,

the first coming on his first NHL shift in the Stadium Series victory over the Islanders.

Rempe also knocked Nathan Bastian into the boards on his first shift in Thursday’s win over the Devils, earning a match penalty.

It did not result in any response from the NHL. “That’s just a big man. Everything is down.

There’s nothing that’s up,” Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette said postgame Thursday.

“Never lifted his arm. I’m glad [Bastian] came back and played and was not hurt from that.

Nobody wants to see anybody get hurt, but it’s just tough.”He’s a huge person.

He was full speed forward and kept everything down,

attempting to plow through the body and I’m sure hitting everything. It’s a tough decision. We’ll check into it and see.”

Rempe has now accumulated 27 penalty minutes since joining the Blueshirts,

including the fight against Deslauriers, in which the forward had a seven-inch height advantage.
He hadn’t even reached 10 minutes of ice time yet.