Matt Rempe is bringing back old-school hockey.
The New York Rangers called up the 6-foot-7, 240-pound enforcer earlier this week, but it was quite the NHL debut for the 21-year-old.
He donned an NHL jersey for the first time in the Stadium Series when the Blueshirts faced the city rival Islanders at MetLife Stadium, home of the NFL’s Giants and Jets.
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Nicolas DesLauriers of the Philadelphia Flyers and Matt Lempe of the New York Rangers face off in the first period at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on February 24, 2024. (Len Redcoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
And in his first NHL shift, he dropped his gloves along with Matt Martin the second the puck dropped. That means in just his one second of ice time, he has accumulated five penalty minutes.
But that was just a preview. On Thursday, during the Hudson River Rivalry’s first shift against the New Jersey Devils, he received a match penalty for a blow to the head and was ejected after just 10 seconds.
And Mr. Lempe is not softening things up.
Philadelphia Flyers left wing Nicolas DesLauriers (right) and New York Rangers center Matt Lempe battle in the first period at Wells Fargo Center. (Kyle Ross/USA Today Sports)
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Three minutes into yet another rivalry game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, Lempe hung up his gloves with veteran tough guy Nicolas DesLauriers.
That means 8 minutes and 32 seconds of ice time and 27 minutes of penalty time in four career games.
But the rocky start wasn’t over yet. He scored his first NHL career goal on a deflection on Saturday, helping the Rangers tie a franchise record with 10 straight wins.
“It’s probably the ugliest first goal in NHL history, but I’ll take it,” he said. told ESPN After the game, he said his first week in the NHL was “very eventful.”
“I love it. I want to bring that physicality, that edge to the team, bring that speed, get in there, hit my body, go to the net. I think I’m doing that and I’m having a lot of fun doing it.”
Matt Lempe (73) of the New York Rangers celebrates a third-period goal against the Philadelphia Flyers with teammates at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on February 24, 2024. (Len Redcoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
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The Rangers’ 81 points are the most in the NHL.
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