The New York Rangers are scrapping and clawing to try to get into the playoffs this season, and they need all of the wins that they can get right now.
The Rangers haven’t yet gotten a win on their record on Monday, but they did get a small victory ahead of their interstate clash with the New York Islanders. Center Matt Rempe is not being suspended and has avoided any extra discipline from his controversial high hit during Sunday night’s 4-0 win against the Nashville Predators, according to Darren Dreger.
Rempe was under fire after a massive hit against Predators defenseman Nick Blackenburg up against the boards during the first period. Many people thought that Rempe would be suspended, but the league clearly feels differently.
#NYR Matt Rempe with another high hit, this time on #Preds Nick Blankenburg. Gets 2 mins for elbowing pic.twitter.com/pdqtssFugg
— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) March 3, 2025
The Rangers need all the help they can get as they try to chase down one of the playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. New York currently has just 64 points on the season, leaving it two points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Wild Card spot in the East. With just 22 games to go, there is a strong sense of urgency for them to get hot and crack the postseason.
Rempe isn’t a high scorer for the Rangers, recording just four points in 25 games so far this season. He is more of a physical enforcer for this group, with 48 penalty minutes on the year. However, having Rempe on the ice is critical for a Rangers group that likes to impose its will on the game.
The Rangers will be happy to have Rempe available for Monday’s rivalry matchup against the Islanders. Both teams are jostling for position in the standings, with the Islanders just three points behind the Rangers, so this game has massive playoff implications.
As it stands, there are currently seven teams within five points of the final Wild Card spot in the East, so the race over the final few weeks of the season is sure to be a hectic one full of drama.
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