Rangers rookie Matt Rempe brawls with Maples Leafs’ Ryan Reaves as he gets into FOURTH fight in seven games since his NHL debut last month

Rangers rookie Matt Rempe has fought for the fourth time since his NHL debut last month, as he got into a brawl with Maple Leafs right wing Ryan Reaves in Saturday’s 4-3 loss for New York.

The 21-year-old, 6-ft-7 forward – previously a combatant in three fights in games vs. the Devils, Flyers and Islanders – and Reaves dropped their gloves in a spirited tilt in the third period with 5:59 remaining.

They exchanged right hooks as they each held on to the other’s jersey with their left hands.

The fight lasted nearly a minute with neither player falling on the ice and it ended with no clear winner as fans in Scotiabank Arena went wild. 

Rempe, who is 6-ft-8 and 245 pounds, put on a strong display against Reaves – a former Ranger. But the 37-year-old, NHL veteran, who is just 6-ft-2 and 226 pounds, put in a solid showing, too. 

The 21-year-old, 6-ft-7 forward, who also weighs 245 pounds, had a black eye before the game

Max Domi, who scored the game-winner in a shootout, was impressed with both players’ toughness. 

‘Hardest job in the game,’ he said on his 29th birthday. ‘There’s absolutely nothing even close. […] A lot of respect for both those guys.’ 

Maples Leafs forward John Tavares, who also scored, described the fight as a ‘throwback,’ referring to the 1980s and 90s, when players would get into brawls during games almost all the time. 

‘There was some anticipation, everyone was itching for it,’ he said. ‘I don’t know how anyone would ever want to drop’em with Reavo.’ 

After plenty of pre-game talk about Rempe and Reaves, the pair were in close quarters later in the period. 

Reaves tried to get the forward’s attention in the neutral zone at the end of their shifts, but Rempe skated off to boos from the Scotiabank Arena crowd.