Matt Rempe was inserted into the lineup to provide some muscle after the Rangers got pushed around in the opener of the Eastern Conference Final.

The move seemed to work out in Game 2, but early on in Game 3, it backfired.

Rempe’s roughing penalty cost the Rangers in the first period, enabling the Panthers to get even at two apiece on the second of Sam Reinhart’s two power-play goals.

He was called for the minor for slamming Reinhart into the side boards and he paid for it.

It was a wild, back-and-forth opening period with the two teams each scoring twice after managing a total of six goals in the first two games.