Rangers' Matt Rempe on line brawl with Devils: 'That was a banger'

Matt Rempe summed up his feelings on Wednesday's line brawl with the Devils in just four words.

"That was a banger," he said to USA Today as he walked into the team's locker room on Thursday.

And a lot of hockey fans will agree with his assessment.

Rempe was one of 10 players involved in an old-fashioned line brawl on Wednesday, with his fight with New Jersey’s Kurtis MacDermid being the main event.

The two had history from the previous time the Devils visited Madison Square Garden, on March 11. That night, Rempe refused MacDermid’s offer to fight early in the game. Later, Rempe knocked Devils defenceman Jonas Siegenthaler out of the game with a high elbow and was subsequently suspended for four games.

But after Wednesday, the two now have nothing but respect for each other.

"He's a real tough customer," Rempe said of MacDermid on Thursday. "That guy is a big boy. Strong, been one of the toughest guys in the league for a long time, and he has his job to do. You gotta respect that."

According to MacDermid, the respect is mutual.

"I'm always going to have a lot of respect for him," MacDermid said post-game. "He's a young kid just trying to do his thing to stay in the league, and I understand that."

Rempe and MacDermid were two of eight players ejected just two seconds into the game. The ejection surprised the young Rangers enforcer, and he admitted he was disappointed his average time on ice was going to take a hit.

"I thought I was going to have a good five minutes in (the penalty box) with the fellas," Rempe said, according to USA Today. "We were going to be cuddled up in there, getting cozy and having a good time. ... I had no idea that was a rule. I was like, 'Dang it. My TOI didn’t go up that game.'"

And while it sure looked like the shenanigans were premeditated, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette swears he had no idea it was going to happen.

He admitted he thought maybe one fight would happen, but the coach claims he definitely did not see all 10 players going at it.

"We had no idea that was happening," Laviolette told reporters Thursday. "We assumed that there would be one fight, so whatever came from the other side, came from the other side. Our guys were ready to battle."

Through the first 20 minutes, both teams managed to wrack up 162 PIMs, reminiscent of the infamous brawl between the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks that ended with 188 PIMs and an attempt to storm the Calgary dressing room by then-head coach John Tortorella.