NHL fans delight in EPIC brawl between massive 6-foot-7 Rangers rookie Matt Rempe and Flyers veteran Nicolas Deslauriers… but who won the ‘good, old-fashioned hockey fight’?

NHL fans pining for the days of the Broad Street Bullies got a dose of nostalgia Saturday in Philadelphia thanks to towering New York Rangers rookie Matt Rempe and scrappy Flyers veteran Nicolas Deslauriers.

The visiting Rangers tied a franchise record with their 10th straight victory, but aside from New York’s 2-1 win, the game will be remembered for what ESPN announcer Sean McDonough likened to a “heavyweight fight.”

Rempe, the 6-foot-4 Calgary native who famously got into a fight during his first shift in his debut last week, dropped the gloves again in the first period on Saturday.

“You don’t see much of it anymore,” ESPN commentator and former NHL star Ray Ferraro told play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough.

“That’s just what I thought,” McDonough agreed. “Reminiscent of the past in this rivalry.”

Rempe (in white) is seen with some damage to his face during the brawl with Deslauriers

Deslauriers pulls Remp’s jersey over his head before scoring a takedown in the epic brawl

A slightly deformed Flyers player Nicolas Deslauriers reacts after the first period fight on Saturday

Both players landed heavy punches, with the 6-foot-2 Deslauriers cut in the forehead by one of Rempe’s hard right hands. The fight ended when Rempe’s shirt was pulled over his head by Deslauriers, who then tackled the rookie to the ice.

“That’s a good, old-fashioned hockey fight,” Philadelphia coach John Tortorella said.

Laviolette added, “That was definitely a good one.”

Rempe had the last laugh, scoring his first NHL goal and improving his lifetime record to a perfect 4-0.

Fans were absolutely thrilled with the violence on the ice.

“Big lead for both, but Rempe to decide,” someone wrote on X. “I have my ticket for Rocky oops Rempe 2.”

‘What. A. Tilting,” wrote another.

Many enjoyed the nostalgia: ‘We all miss this. In other words, old school fans.’

But while fans all seemed to agree that the fight was entertaining, they were divided over who won the brawl.

“6’7 and bro got hit, good lord,” an online judge ruled.

Others disagreed: “Rangers Recking Ball Rempe set him on fire.”

Fans were divided on the winner, but they all seemed to agree that the fight was a rare treat

Things between the two actually started during pre-match warm-ups, when they both looked at each other.

Clearly the hostility transferred to the game.

“He asked me during warm-ups,” Rempe said. “He’s a very tough customer and said, ‘Let’s go.’” It was a great fight. We were throwing bombs. It got the juices flowing and it was surreal.”

It’s been quite a week for Rempe, who fought Islanders tough guy Matt Martin on his first shift in his NHL debut in a Stadium Series game on Sunday and was ejected for a hit to the head by Nathan Bastian of New Jersey in the New York 5th. -1 win over the Devils on Thursday.

Rempe entered with 22 penalty minutes in just 9:47 of ice time in three career games. 33-year-old veteran Deslauriers is no stranger to the penalty area, having served 729 minutes in 635 games on Saturday.

The scrap seemed to fire up both teams for the afternoon start and it started quite a day for Rempe.

“He played a great game,” Laviolette said. ‘Had a great fight. Had big hits. Place the puck behind the defense. He’s been great since he got here. You can tell the players in the locker room are excited to have him here. He likes to hit and be physical.”

Rangers and Flyers fans in Philly quickly took to their cell phones to record the fight

Alexis Lafrenière gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead with 8:04 left in the second when his wrist shot went by Ersson during 4-on-4 play. It was his 17th of the season and third in two games.

The goal capped a wild streak that started when Philadelphia’s Garnet Hathaway was whistled for a double-minor high-sticking penalty. Philadelphia, which led the NHL with 13 shorthanded goals and had the league’s second-best penalty-kill unit, almost got on the board, but Scott Laughton’s wrist shot that beat Shesterkin went off the crossbar.

Lafrenière nearly scored on the power play two minutes after Laughton’s miss, but Ersson saved the game, denying the backhand try with a great save down the left pad. Philadelphia then almost had another big short-handed chance, but Artemi Panarin held Cam Atkinson, resulting in a Rangers penalty and the 4-on-4 situation.

Philadelphia tied the score at 2:36 of the third when Foerster ended up in front on a nifty pass from behind Laughton’s net.

Philadelphia leading scorer Travis Konecny ​​did not play due to an upper-body injury. He has 27 goals and 54 points.