In New York's overtime victory that evened the score, forward replaces Kakko and had game high nine hits.
NEW YORK -- Matt Rempe was back in the lineup for the New York Rangers for their 2-1 overtime victory against the Florida Panthers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final at Madison Square Garden on Friday.
In Game 6 of the Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the rookie forward replaced Kaapo Kakko, who had been a healthy scratch for the first time since June 11, 2022.
Rempe's been out for two games in a row, four of the previous five. He had no shots on goal but had a game-high nine hits and won his only face-off in 10:06 of ice time Friday, his second-most ice time in 25 games this season, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs (11:08 against the St. Louis Blues on March 9).
"It's been a lot of fun," Rempe said after the Rangers tied the best-of-seven series. "I played a few more minutes, some stuff and it was so much fun." I've had the greatest time of my life out there. I'm so happy that we've won. That's the best I've ever seen.
" Rempe's played 17 shifts, including five in the third period and one in overtime.
"With a few minutes left in the third, 'Lavy'coach Peter Laviolette called my name, and I said, 'Oh my God. Jiminy Cricket, let's go," Rempe went on. "So I was thrown out there and trying to buzz around and do my job. ... It was just a blast, so much fun.
" Rempe (6-foot-7, 241 pounds) has one point, a goal in Game 1 of the first round against the Washington Capitals, in eight games in these playoffs. He hasn't played since Game 5 of the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes, which was a 4-1 loss.
Rempe had been in all six of New York's first-round playoff games and helped the Rangers to a perfect 6-0 record. This season, they're 21-3-1 with him on the field: 14-2-1 in the regular season and 7-1 in the playoffs.
"From the beginning of the game, I thought he had a good pace," Laviolette said. “He was effective on the forecheck, effective putting it behind them. Putting it in the other team's zone. Staying down there. "I thought he'd come out and have a real impact, especially at the beginning of the first semester."
Rempe made his NHL debut on Feb. 18 in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series against the New Jersey Devils at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Rempe said at the morning skate Friday, "I'm hungry, I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go." "I've been buzzing for a while now. I'll go have a good time, take it one shift at a time, and be having fun. Create chaos, skate hard, and have a good time. I'm 21. I'm not under any pressure. I'm just trying to do the best I can. If I'm aware of how hard I work, then I can look myself in the eye and tell myself that I am proud of what I have done. "That's all I've got to do."
Kakko has two points (one goal, one assist) in games in these playoffs. He was limited to 10:27 of ice time in Game 1 after playing 10:01 in New York's series-clinching comeback win against the Hurricanes in Game 6 of the second round. In these playoffs, he averaged 11:34 of ice time per game. This report was contributed by Shawn P. Roarke, senior editorial director of NHL.com, and David Satriano, a journalist
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