Rangers rookie Matt Rempe gets into a fight on the ice within SECONDS of his NHL debut as he scraps with Islanders’ Matt Martin in Stadium Series game
- Rempe dropped the gloves less than 90 seconds into the interstate rivalry game
- The scrap likely sets the record for the fastest penalty in an NHL career
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New York Rangers rookie Matt Rempe immediately got into a fight during the first shift of his NHL debut against New York Islanders veteran Matt Martin during a Stadium Series game at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Rempe already made NHL history as the first player to make his competitive debut in an outdoor game, and he probably set the NHL records for the fastest fight in a career and therefore the fastest penalty kick.
Less than 90 seconds into the Empire State rivalry, Martin and Rempe faced off at center ice for a showdown.
Before the match was officially over, Rempe and Martin had dropped the gloves and started throwing punches at each other.
Rempe had built his reputation in junior and minor league hockey as an enforcer, who stands on the third or fourth line and does not shy away from physical play.
Rempe traded punches with Martin for about 30 seconds before the linesmen broke it up
Martin has a lot of experience in NHL fighting, as Rempe fought him on his first NHL squad
Rempe didn’t disappoint in his NHL debut, using his long reach to beat Martin in the demolition. The fight lasted about 30 seconds, with neither man being knocked down.
That intimidating presence combined with Rempe’s size (he’s 6-foot-4) could add some much-needed strength to a Rangers team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
While New York could make another move for a more experienced enforcer before the NHL trade deadline on March 8, Rempe is an option for the franchise already under contract.
The 21-year-old Rempe ended the game without further penalties, scoring one goal in 4:26 on the ice.
However, Rempe did not reach the fever pitch with Martin again.
Martin has built his reputation in NHL fighting circles as one of the toughest guys in the league, and it’s not often that he fights a bigger opponent. He did that against Rempe.
The Rangers defeated the Islanders 6–5 in overtime, with a two-goal comeback in the final five minutes of the game.
Fights in NHL outdoor games are not common. The last one before Martin vs Rempe was exactly one year earlier, when Capitals forward Anthony Mantha fought Carolina’s Jordan Martinook.