I have never attended a game where a 5-on-5 fight kicked things off. I have seen all manner of things at a hockey game (freshly minted Matt Rempe shirts, peanut fights, fist fights, mustard pack fights, male and female nudity, hate crimes, personally being escorted out of the Garden) and been in the building countless times when a fight happened right off the opening faceoff. But never an all-ice-encompassing shitshow like that one between the Rangers and the Devils.
Elvis Who? Chris Has *Entered* the Building
I was in the building when Milan Lucic (I am still pissed at him) tried to put Mike van Ryn into the third row at the Garden. It happened right across the rink from my old season tickets, and I remember it like it was yesterday.
And I vividly remember being in the building that time the Portland Pirates and Lowell Lockmonsters had 5 successive fights to start the last game of the season – after someone on the Pirates called the Lockmonsters “beer leaguers” because they weren’t going to the playoffs.
The Monsters put a out a guy that could fight. So did the Pirates. Puck dropped, they squared up. Rinse and repeat 5 times. It was magical.
I have definitely been in buildings for 5-on-5 line brawls. Just not at the first puck drop.
I was building-proximus the night Billy Tibbetts and Trevor Gillies started when they were with Springfield. They came into Lowell looking to stir the pot on a Sunday afternoon, and did just that. Patrick DesRochers, the fighting goaltender from Lowell, went the length of the ice to fight Springfield’s goalie, David LeNeveu.
LeNeveu, after the game, was crying in front of (then) Springfield Falcon coach, Marty McSorley, saying in a very thick French accent, “I did not want to fight him.” Then he’d cry a little. McSorley, was disgusted. I will never forget the look on his face. It was classic.
All that now said, I have never attended a game when a 5-on-5 fight starts the game. It is most assuredly on my bucket list, dare to dream, and I am jealous of all the people in attendance for that epic brawl last week. Matt Rempe and company sure got the hockey world talking.
Five-On-Five Fallout
Sean Avery loved it, and was talking about the brawl on his podcast. Avery was giving the Rempire State Building pointers on how to fight. It was his contention that Rempe needed to lock up Kurtis MacDermid’s arm a little better. Avery’s logic is it will give him better leverage to come over his opponent and use his size and reach to his advantage.
I agree with Avery. Rempe is a tough customer, and is certainly willing to take on all comers, but if he doesn’t start getting better separation when he fights, he’s really going to get hurt. I don’t care how tall that big galoot is.
Sean Avery also encouraged the girls of New York City to “take care” of young Matt Rempe if they see him socially. I don’t know Rempe’s marital/girlfriend situation, but if he has one, I’m sure she wasn’t pleased about said advice. Rempe, on the other hand, probably appreciated the shout out / shut himself in the airplane bathroom for 5 minutes.
John Scott has an excellent podcast called Dropping the Gloves. It is the Official Podcast of Hockey Fights.com and is a must listen for any fight fan. Scott is a massive Matt Rempe fan, and the day of the game last week he was pining for Rempe and MacDermid to fight. He covered everything regarding history between the two, and why they needed to fight.
After the much-anticipated fight, and the bonus 4 others, John Scott broke the scrap down for us laypeople. Scott says he loves Rempe, but he can’t fight and wants to work with him on getting better. I’d take him up on that offer, Matt.
His technique is flawed, which both former enforcers Sean Avery and now John Scott have mentioned. His holds, and his balance are all way fackin’ off. I’m not a former enforcer, at all, but I think I have watched enough donnybrooks over the years to solidly agree. Matt Rempe is going to get knocked the fuck out if he doesn’t clean it up.
What John Scott also said about him, and what I fully agree with, is the kid is a gamer. He’s got a raw ability to fight. He likes to do it, and he’s not afraid to go with anyone. Matt Rempe has already fought all the heavies in the game right now. I think he’s lost most of them, but it hasn’t stopped him from doing it, and Goonblog loves it.
Matt Rempe’s Dastardly Detractor
Not everyone, of course, is in on the Matt Rempe love fest. Adam Proteau of the Hockey News says there’s no room for what Rempe’s doing in the NHL anymore, and we should be focused more on playoff races right now. Also, got fuck yourself, Adam. Not really – but just kinda. “Progress” is in the mind of the beholder.
2024 NHL Playoff Pontificating
I am super-focused on the playoffs, buddies. My beloved Bruins are on a collision course with the Tampa Bay Lightning. It is probably the worst draw they could get, and if it happens, I think the Bruins are out in round 1. AGAIN.
The race for the last spots in the East is ridiculous. Last week, the Flyers were the third team in the Metropolitan Division. Today, they’re on the outside looking in. In a week, the whole thing changed. I wish the Devils were good, only because if they could have played the Rangers in the playoffs after what happened the last time, I would absolutely sign up to see that series.
In my estimation Matt Rempe is one of the most exciting guys to come along in a while in the fight game. His story of how he got to The Show is incredible. Playing his first game in an NFL Stadium and getting in a fight.
Then following it up by fighting most of the heavyweights in the game, right out of the goddamn gate, and doing OK. He caps the start of his NHL career off by being involved in a 5-on-5 fight in the World’s Most Famous Arena, in the biggest media market in the world.
If I needed any more proof (I didn’t) that Rempe is the catalyst for a bit of an enforcer excitement resurgence, one need look no further than Google’s reported search trends for his name – mostly related to ecommerce and people looking to buy Matt Rempe T-Shirts and jerseys. There is a buzz around the Rangers, and the fluid state of fighting in hockey right now – and we all have little Matty Rempe to thank!
My time skating with Marty was a very educational period in my hockey career. Not only did these guys practice with us, but they gave us advice off the ice as well. Marty could quickly tell my role on the team, and bestowed more than a few hockey fight tips to my waiting ears. The one I remember the best is when Marty told me “Every time you throw a punch, visualize your fist coming through the back of that person’s skull.” So every time over the years when i dropped the gloves, Marty’s little school of fighting would echo in my head. So I suppose I owe him a vote of thanks for all the punches i landed over the years!
Also check out Bobsluggo’s tough-to-beat entry for