Matt Rempe return to Rangers lineup has good, bad moments
It was a busy night for Matt Rempe in his first game back with the New York Rangers in nearly a month. While he only had 5:27 of ice time, the 22-year-old played a big role in the Rangers slump-busting 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center, for better and for worse.
For the most part, Rempe played a great game for New York. He made his physical presence known, per usual, with five hits in the game. He also drew three penalties in just the second period alone, once again finding a way to make a big impact with little ice time.
Everything seemed to be trending upwards for Rempe, until he laid a big hit on Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen. The 6-foot-9 giant caught Heiskanen with an elbow up high and slightly from behind, earning him his fourth ejection in just 22 NHL games played.
“I thought he had a big impact in the game,” Peter Laviolette said postgame. “Would like to stay away from the five-minute major, but he’s doing his best to hit bodies and make a difference in the game. Our guys really rallied around that as well.”
Fortunately for Rempe, the Rangers penalty kill was on fire all night, 7-for-7 throughout the game, including Rempe’s five-minute major. Don’t forget to credit Igor Shesterkin as well, who made 41 saves in the contest and 21 while shorthanded in one of his best games of the season.
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Matt Rempe to have NHL hearing for major penalty against Stars
UPDATE: Rempe was offered an in-person hearing by NHL Department of Player Safety. That likely means he is headed for a suspension as a repeat offender.
So, what can be taken away from Rempe’s game? Well, other than the ejection, it was really effective. After spending nearly a month with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League playing big minutes and all situations, Rempe looked like he had jump, and his skating really seemed to have gotten better.
Rempe played roughly 18 minutes each night in Hartford, something that he had never done before, especially for a prolonged amount of time. In 18 AHL games this season, Rempe logged three goals and five points, with 22 penalty minutes. He has zero points and 24 penalty minutes in five NHL games this season, 17 of those minutes coming against Dallas Friday night.
It’s unfortunate that a night which seemed to have all positives had to end with another ejection, which now could lead to a suspension depending on the ruling of the Department of Player Safety. It was announced on Saturday that Rempe will have an in-person hearing for the hit, meaning that he could be eligible for a six-game suspension or longer.
“I thought he let off a little bit at the end,” said Laviolette on the hit that ejected Rempe. “He’s just such a big guy, but, we killed the five and we’re moving on.”
Hopefully, the 22-year-old will not face any supplemental discipline from the League, but with an in-person hearing announced, a suspension is very likely. With the holiday roster freeze in the NHL, Rempe will be with the Rangers for at least the next three games, and should remain in the lineup if he is not suspended.
If Rempe wants to stick around with the big club this time around, he’ll need to continue with the positives from a big win in Dallas, and will need to stop getting himself ejected from games at such an alarming rate, currently 18 percent of his 22 NHL games.
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