Rangers-Columbus Recap Where I grew up in Old Brooklyn, on the sidewalks of Williamsburg we had a couple of streetsmart expressions. "Put up or shut up" was one. "If you're gonna talk the talk, let's see if you can walk the walk!" was another. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA0NjA4MjU1NzE0OTI3OTMx/usatsi_22619924.jpg] Both apply to happy-go-lucky rookie Matt Rempe when he faces the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at The World's Most Famous Arena. In his less-than-two-week romp from Mister Nobody to Rangers Rock Star Hero, Rempe has inspired -- well-crafted, I might say -- continent-wide attention. Some more objective cynics might say that it was a creative work of sheer pugilistic genius. 1. Open the outdoor game before more than 79,000 spectators by fighting a veteran Islander, Matt Martin, who is in his fading years. Martin, at 34, is 13 years older than Kid Rempe. What's more, Rempe, the giant, had five-and-a-half inches on Matt and 20 pounds as well. Rempe won the bout on points. No knockout, thank you. P.S. Rangers won. 2. Against the staggering Devils, marauding Matt knocked Nate Bastian for a larrupin' loup and that made more headlines since Rempe got tossed from the game. Plus, the Blueshirts won again. 3. In Philadelphia, Rempe went at it with 31-year-old, Nicolas Deslauriers, who had 11 years on 21-year-old Matt. As fighs go, this was a gem, blow-for-blow, give-and-take -- a wonderful hockey bout if ever there was one. 4. Finally, last Sunday, the Rangers new cop found someone in his own age bracket. Blue Jackets left wing Mathieu Olivier is 26, just five years older than Rempe although Rempe had a seven and a half inch reach on the guy plus a 33-pound weight advantage. As we saw, the rest was advantage-Olivier to the tune of 13 blows to six (the six did little to no damage) plus a black eye for the Ranger who barely could stand on his feet at the end. No matter, the Blueshirt was a battler and at yesterday’s media skirmish, Rempe made itabundantly clear that he's here to play hockey, earn a regular fourth line spot on the roster and, if necessary, fight on account of he gets kicks out of punching. Which brings me right back to my Brooklynese opener related to tonight's potential bout: "Put up or shut up." Or, if you will, "Talk the talk; now walk the walk." Either way, we have one heckuva melodrama here. At 7 p.m. tonight it will be High Noon for rock star Matt Rempe at The Garden. Who knows, Young Rempe may be even better than the heroic film cowboy Gary Cooper in the hit movie, "High Noon." Hopefully, Mathieu Olivier hasn't seen the flick!
