WA-NYR-TradeRumours Matt Rempe’s presence was felt in the New York Rangers’ 3-2 overtime win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night. The crowd erupted when Rempe stepped on the ice for the first time following a lengthy eight-game suspension. Fans anticipated every time Rempe was about to go in for a big hit and all eyes were glued to the skating giant whenever he was skating. The energy and attention that Rempe draws from the crowd is simply mind-boggling. Everyone at Madison Square Garden can feel Rempe in the building and both the fans and team feed off of it. In what world do people cheer for a simple offensive-zone check? Only for Rempe they do. On the night, the 22-year-old forward recorded 7:47 minutes playing on a line with Sam Carrick and Adam Edström. Peter Laviolette was pleased with Rempe’s performance. “I thought Rempe came in and gave us good minutes,” Laviolette said. “Put the puck behind him, tried to play physical, it was good.” He may not be offensively savvy, but Rempe provides a spark when the Rangers are playing at home that is extremely valuable. Rempe should undoubtedly be in the lineup for every game at Madison Square Garden.
