Matt Rempe faces suspension for Rangers, will have disciplinary hearing
Matt Rempe will have a hearing with NHL Department of Player Safety on Tuesday. The New York Rangers rookie faces a likely suspension after elbowing New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler in a 3-1 win at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
The incident occurred shortly after Rempe won a face-off and then screened Devils goalie Kaapo Kahkonen on Erik Gustafsson’s goal that gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead at 19:08 of the second period. Twenty-two seconds later Rempe skated across the ice to check Siegenthaler, who was shooting the puck into New York’s end of the ice. Siegenthaler stepped back and Rempe, who appeared a bit out of control, came storming in and caught the Devils blue-liner on the jaw with his elbow.
Rempe was assessed a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct for the hit, leading to his hearing Tuesday. Siegenthaler left the ice and didn’t return to the game.
“I thought he was playing a real strong game, total credit on the goal,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “We ended up leaving him out there. I think he was just tracking a hit … but I hope Siegenthaler is OK and I thought Rempe had a strong game up until that point.”
Afterward, Devils enforcer Kurtis MacDermid had some biting criticism of Rempe, who chirped the New Jersey bench as he was led off the ice by officials. MacDermid had been trying to lure Rempe into a fight throughout the game but the 6-foot-8 forward didn’t engage, leaving the Devils veteran clearly frustrated.
“After a hit like that, it kind of goes without saying you should answer the bell and be a man about it,” MacDermid said. “The game goes on and he throws another hit like that … There’s a right way to go about it things and a wrong way. I kind of lost a lot of respect for him tonight.”
Related: Rangers legend Mark Messier ‘all in’ on Matt Rempe
Rangers may be without Matt Rempe, who faces suspension for elbowing major penalty
Rempe has been a target of NHL heavyweights since playing his first game at the outdoor Stadium Series against the Islanders and fighting Matt Martin on his first shift.
The 21-year-old also is building a history with the Devils. On Feb. 22, Rempe received a five-minute major and game misconduct for a hit against Devils forward Nathan Bastian. Rempe did not have a hearing after that play and Bastian did return to the game, though he has not played since with an unspecified injury.
Rempe has been effective on the forecheck and defensively responsible for the Rangers in 10 games. He also scored the game-winning goal against the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 24.
If Rempe is suspended, it’s expected Jonny Brodzinski would replace him on the fourth line, beginning with the Rangers next game, Tuesday at the Carolina Hurricanes.
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