Apr 12, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; New York Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) comes off the ice after warmups before the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images James Guillory-Imagn Images

Rangers Enforcer Exits Game After Rough Fight

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI
By Jennifer Streeter | Last updated Oct 24, 2025 7:00 AM ET

New York Rangers budding young enforcer Matt Rempe sustained an upper-body injury during play against the San Jose Sharks.

The injury came in the midst of a 6-5 overtime loss for the Rangers. Right wing Taylor Raddysh scored a whopping three goals for the Blueshirts in addition to Mika Zibanejad and Juuso Parssinen each posting one as well. Captain J.T. Miller also tallied two assists. But, the highlight of the night for the Rangers came from Rempe.

Reaves put up a hit on Passinen, and Rempe skated over in his defense and the two heavyweights then dropped the gloves for a knockout, drag-out, old-school hockey fight at center ice .

Matt Rempe Drops Gloves in Heavyweight Bout with Ryan Reaves

The two towering forwards exchanged the blows early on in the first period. Rempe got Reaves' jersey over his head and was striking repeatedly at Reaves' head when linesmen Shandor Alphonso and Matt MacPherson eventually broke it up.

The Rangers announced Matt Rempe will not return to tonight’s game due to an upper body injury pic.twitter.com/vzjUrlcMg6
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 24, 2025

The pair had previously fought in 2024.

This time, Rempe held more of his own and then left the penalty box early to head to the locker room. The team ruled him out for the rest of the game, but the MSG crowd could be heard chanting, "Rempe, Rempe" over and over again on his way to the dressing room.

Reaves went to the penalty box to serve the five minute major, while Rempe went down the tunnel with training staff.

"He's a big boy and you have to fight guys like that a little bit differently," Reaves said of the pair's most recent spout. "I've seen him fight, so I know what he's good at, what his weaknesses are. It was a good tilt."

At the conclusion of the OT loss to the Sharks, Rempe was still being evaluated.

“He’s being evaluated right now for an upper-body injury,” New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan said to the media postgame.

This latest loss now means the Rangers only hold three wins after previously giving home fans a long time to wait for a goal scored on home ice — the New York franchise managed their first goal after 180:57 of ice time without one to start the year.

Reaves stands at 6"2' and weight 225-pounds, compared to Rempe who is 6-foot-9 and 261 pounds.

Rempe, 23, currently has 11 points across his career — in the midst of his third season in the NHL — across five goals and six assists. He has one goal through nine games and is plus-1. The Canadian enforcer primarily plays on a line with Adam Edström and Sam Carrick. Rempe also plays to the front of the net on the Rangers' second power-play unit.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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