The Matt Rempe hit tour continued Thursday in Newark.
On his first shift of the Rangers’ 5-1 win over the Devils at the Prudential Center, Rempe rammed Nathan Bastian along the boards, which knocked the New Jersey forward and broke his stick all in one motion.
Bastian’s head took a bulk of the hit, and that sent him straight to the Devils’ locker room.
Jonas Siegenthaler took exception and immediately challenged Rempe, who only needed two punches to take the Devils defenseman down.
Rempe earned a roughing penalty and a match penalty, which ended the 6-foot-8 ½ forward’s night.
Matt Rempe #73 of the New York Rangers checks Nathan Bastian #14 of the New Jersey Devils into the boards and receives a match penalty. Bill Kostroun
Matt Rempe laid the big hit early in the first period. Bill Kostroun
Nathan Bastian went down to the ice almost immediately after taking the hit.
Devils fans in attendance rained boos down on Rempe, who then put his hand to his ear as he left the ice.
“That’s just a big man. Everything is down. There’s nothing that’s up,” head coach Peter Laviolette said after the game of the Rempe hit getting a match penalty. “Never lifted his arm. I’m glad [Bastian] came back and played and was not hurt from that. Nobody wants to see anybody get hurt, but it’s just tough.
New Jersey Devils forward Nathan Bastian sits on the ice after being hit by New York Rangers center Matt Rempe. AP
Rempe was tossed from the game. APBastian later returned to the ice, and in the second period, was taken down on another big hit, this time by Jacob Trouba.
The Rangers captain and Bastian then dropped the gloves.
Bastian did not play in the third period, and Devils head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters that the forward was injured, but it did not have anything to do with the Rempe hit.
