Rangers’ Rempe Returns to Lineup in Victory Over Lightning

Matt Rempe made his return to the Rangers lineup during their 4-1 victory over the Lightning on Tuesday night. The 6-foot-9 forward had been a healthy scratch for six consecutive games after the team’s season opener in Boston.

He took the place of Jaroslav Chmelar on the fourth line’s right wing, but his opportunities were minimal as head coach Mike Sullivan shortened the bench late in the game.

Despite limited ice time, the 24-year-old did engage in a fight with Jeff Viel from the Lightning.

“He obviously had a solid game for us,” Sullivan commented on Rempe’s performance, who logged just 3:43 of ice time while the team continued their perfect run at home. “He didn’t get many minutes. Our fourth line didn’t see much ice tonight. It was just the way the game played out. I intended to give them more time, but I don’t think this will be a regular occurrence. It was all about matchups as the game unfolded.”

“Mix in some power plays and penalty kills, along with defending the lead in the latter stages. There were numerous factors at play, but in the brief minutes that Rempe was on the ice, he made an impact.”

Sullivan has mentioned that deciding whether to dress Chmelar or Rempe will depend on each game’s circumstances. Chmelar had received a chance to play during the Rangers’ successful stretch, winning five out of six after their loss to Boston.

Still, Chmelar contributed to the team’s strong performance in their home opener against the Lightning.

Missing much of the previous season due to thumb surgeries, Rempe would require waivers to be sent down to Hartford. The team likely wants to avoid letting him sit too long, but Sullivan also mentioned that lineup changes would depend on the opponent.

Rempe expressed that he felt fully recovered after his first official game back on September 29. “It was a lot of fun,” he shared, reflecting on the experience before watching Igor Shesterkin’s season-ending injury from the press box in Washington. “Results weren’t great, but physically, I felt strong. It felt good to be myself again.”

Meanwhile, Pavel Dorofeyev, with only one goal in his first eight games, was asked about any pressure he felt to contribute more. “No, not really,” he replied. “I’m not focused on that stuff. Just trying to be myself and help the team win. Sometimes you have to approach the game differently; it’s not always about scoring goals.”

Sullivan has been swapping Dorofeyev with Gabe Perreault in the top power-play unit whenever he thinks the group could use a lift. After making this change against Vancouver, he did so again in the game against the Lightning.

Unfortunately, the Rangers’ power play struggled, failing to convert on all four chances.

The team is set to practice on Wednesday before facing the Devils in Newark on Thursday.