The league has taken note of Matt Rempe’s reputation for starting fights early and frequently during Rangers games.
Actually, Rempe and Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier had a friendly conversation prior to Sunday’s game, which almost immediately resulted in a confrontation between the two fighters.
While stretching close to the red line, the two discussed Rempe’s most recent fight with Flyers forward Nicolas Deslauriers.
Olivier told the Columbus Dispatch, “To be honest, I just told him, ‘Great tilt yesterday and I hope you’re doing alright, because that was a tough one.'” “Yeah, I’m good,’ so he came and asked me on the first shift. For doing that, you have a great deal of respect there. Bravo to him. He’s doing a great job at drawing attention, so that requires some [guts], to use a better phrase.
But maybe this time, the 240-pound, 6-foot-8 Rempe bit off more than he could chew.
Rempe was brought to the locker room for concussion protocols after Olivier landed 13 blows to his six, and Rempe did not return until later in the first quarter.
It’s possible that the fight preceded the entire game.
The Blue Jackets had the lowest record in the Eastern Conference with 48 points, and the Rangers, who were trying to win 11 games in a row, struggled against them.
Following two successive ties in the game, the Blue Jackets took a decisive lead 46 seconds after the Rangers tied the score at two goals, and they added another goal in the final two minutes of the second period.
A white-shirted hockey player raises his arms in celebration after beating the orange-shirted goalkeeper in a game on the rink.
Late in the third period, the Rangers had a power play, but they were unable to hit the back of the goal.
Elvis Merzlinkins, the goaltender for the Blue Jackets, had a fantastic game, stopping 38 of 40 shots from the Ranger.
When the Rangers visit these same Blue Jackets at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, they hope to begin a new winning run. The Rangers are still leading the Metropolitan Division.
